


Visiting

by shifty_cat



Category: Persona 4, Persona 5
Genre: F/F, F/M, Okay pretty spicy, Seriously Fluffy, a bit spicy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-04
Updated: 2019-08-27
Packaged: 2020-02-16 08:59:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 70,713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18688288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shifty_cat/pseuds/shifty_cat
Summary: A summer trip to Akira's hometown leads to new friends and startling realizations.





	1. Chapter 1

There were few things that brought Makoto Niijima more joy than taking her motorcycle for a long trip down rural highways on a summer day, letting loose and riding like the wind (within the speed limit, of course). One of those few things was the boy awaiting her at the end of this particular journey. With the beginning of her summer break from her first year at the Faculty of Law at Tokyo University, she was heading to the hometown of Akira Kurusu, whom she hadn't seen in person since a surprise visit for her birthday nearly three months ago. While Akira had already made plans to visit the Thieves in Tokyo later in the summer, they both wanted some more one on one time together, with the added benefit of showing Makoto around his hometown, which she'd only briefly seen when bringing him back from Tokyo.

As she approached the small town, she pulled over on the side of the road to stretch a bit and check the directions to his house one more time. After a few minutes, a bike with police markings pulled over behind her, causing Makoto to momentarily worry that she had inadvertently broken some traffic law. That fear was dispelled as the officer pulled off their helmet, revealing a young woman with short brown hair and an infectious smile. "Whoa, that is one seriously cool bike! Is that a Yamaha FJR?"

Makoto took a deep breath to regain her composure. "Y-yes, yes it is. Officer...?"

"Satonaka, but you can call me Chie. I don't really go much for the whole formality thing. And you?"

"Oh, um, Makoto Niijima. Just Makoto is fine."

Chie walked over with her hands on her hips, inspecting the bike with evident admiration. "Wow, this thing really is gorgeous. I mean sure the Hondas they give us get the job done, but they kinda look a bit dorky compared to this beauty."

Makoto, still a bit overwhelmed by the extremely friendly young officer, nonetheless smiled proudly at the compliment. "Thank you. It was a surprise graduation present from my sister. I believe it's the same model used by police in the United Kingdom and Ireland."

Chie tilted her head with a huff of disappointment. "Aw jeez, just my luck. Maybe I can send a request up the chain to get one, but I'm not holding my breath." As quickly as it came, her momentary sorrow seemed to dissipate, and she turned to Makoto with a friendly grin. "But hey, you sure seem to know a thing or two about the cops. You in law too, Makoto?"

Makoto nodded with a smile. Now that she was beginning to get used to Chie's outgoing personality, she was actually quite enjoyable to talk to. "Yes. Well, sort of. My father was an officer and my sister is an attorney. Right now I'm studying law, and in the long run I plan to become a police commissioner."

Chie's eyes widened, clearly impressed. "Whoa, law school? You must be some kinda genius. Well, I'll have to be extra nice to you, since you might be my boss someday." She gave Makoto a cheeky grin and a wink. "So, what brings you all the way out to Inaba? Vacation? We have a really great inn if you need somewhere to stay. It gets pretty busy this time of year, but I know the owner, so I'm sure I could get you a room."

Makoto hesitated. While Chie seemed very nice, she wasn't sure what connection, if any, she might have to Akira's prior legal troubles. Ultimately, she decided to go with her gut and trust the young woman. "I suppose you could call it a vacation. I'm actually here to visit... a friend. Do you by any chance know an Akira Kurusu?"

Somehow, Chie's smile grew even bigger, a feat that seemed almost impossible to Makoto. "Oh, Akira? Yeah, I know him. Really nice kid. I was still finishing academy when all that stuff went down with him, but even then it seemed fishy to me. Didn't seem like the type to just haul off and assault someone, ya know?" 

She paused, as though suddenly remembering something important. "Wait a second, you're THAT Makoto!? The same Makoto that kid has talked my ear off about for the past four months?" She looked the younger woman over for a moment before giving an approving nod. "Well, I can see he wasn't kidding. C'mon, I'll show you the way to his place. Not like I'm busy. Follow me."

With that, Chie ran excitedly back to her bike and hopped on, leaving a still slightly baffled Makoto to momentarily collect her thoughts, before climbing onto her own bike and following her into town.

 

Akira was waiting by his front door when Makoto pulled up with her impromptu police escort. "Don't tell me you're in trouble with the law now!" He called out with a smirk as she ran over and flung herself into his arms. "I," he kissed her on the forehead, "missed," he kissed her cheek, "you," he kissed her other cheek, "so," he kissed the tip of her nose, causing her to scrunch her face a bit and let out a little giggle, "much," their lips came together in an outpouring of desire intensified by months apart.

When, after what seemed like both a blissful eternity and entirely too short, they separated, Makoto looked up at him, blushing profusely and a bit breathless. "I missed you too. So, so much." She buried her face in the crook of his shoulder and held him tight. "I'm so happy to see you again."

As he returned her embrace, Akira noticed the other woman now standing by her bike and trying not to bear witness to their intimate moment. "Oh, hi Officer Satonaka. Sorry, but I was a bit distracted."

Chie rolled her eyes, seemingly absorbed with the business of a cat across the street. "Jeez, Akira, how many times have I gotta tell you, just call me Chie. I swear, you do it just to get on my nerves. Hey, Makoto, is he always this much of a joker?"

Makoto gave Akira a knowing smirk before turning to face Chie with a sigh. "Believe me, you have no idea."

Chie laughed and turned to face the now disentangled teens. "Ha, I believe it. Hey, if you two want to swing by the inn for dinner, I'd love for Makoto to meet my partner. It's weird, but you kinda remind me of her. Can't quite put my finger on why though. Anyway, I think you'll like her." She shrugged and hopped on her bike, then turned back towards them with a grin. "Oh, and Akira: you were right. Makoto's totally awesome." With those parting words, she rode off.

Makoto brought a knuckle to her chin, trying to wrap her head around the unusual new friend she had made. "Well, she's certainly... exciting I suppose is the closest word I can think of."

Akira chuckled as he walked over to help unload Makoto's luggage from her bike's panniers. "I had a feeling you two would get along. She's honestly one of the nicest people I've ever met, but you should see her fight. She's an absolute terror. I'm kind of glad there'll be someone else around who's willing to spar with her."

As he turned around, bags in hand, he smiled at the excited gleam he noted in Makoto's eyes. "Oh, really? I'll have to bring that up with her when we see her tonight." She took one of the bags from Akira and quickly checked that they had everything she needed. "It seems you haven't lost your ability to make friends wherever you go."

He gave her a grin as he walked with her to the door. "And it seems to be an ability that you're rapidly developing."

 

The interior of the Kurusu household was simple but tidy, and above all comfortable. As the couple walked in, Akira's mother looked up from reading something on a small tablet on the couch, then broke into a friendly smile when she saw the young woman accompanying her son. "Oh, Makoto! I had forgotten that you'd be arriving today. Welcome!"

Akira had inherited his easygoing charm, as well as his fluffy hair, from his mother (he got his father's calm stoicism and grey eyes). As Makoto bowed respectfully to the older woman, she hopped off the couch and scurried over to them, pulling Makoto into a quick hug. "No need to be so formal, dear. You're practically family. You should have seen the way poor Akira was pining for you. Come on in and make yourself at home. You must have had a long ride, so if you need to freshen up there's a shower in the upstairs bathroom."

As his mother ran off to find something in the kitchen, Akira gave Makoto a gentle nudge with his shoulder and leaned over to whisper. "Pretty sure my mom loves you almost as much as I do."

"Shh!" Makoto gave him a light warning elbow to the gut before calling out. "T-thank you for inviting me into your home, Mrs. Kurusu. I hope I won't be too much trouble."

"Oh, no trouble at all!" Her voice called back from the kitchen. "I'm just so glad to see my Akira so happy again." There was a slight pause. "Hmm, sadly it looks like I don't have anything special to make, but would you like some mochis and tea? Or perhaps coffee? Akira has become quite the barista."

"Coffee would be lovely, Mrs. Kurusu. And don't worry about dinner, Officer Satonaka has invited us out this evening."

"Wonderful! Chie is such a nice girl, I think you'll be fast friends. Well, Akira, coffee is your specialty, so I can help Makoto get her things settled while you brew us up a pot. Follow me, dear." Mrs. Kurusu took one of Makoto's bags from Akira and led her upstairs.

"Bathroom's over there, and Akira's room is here. I hope you two don't mind sharing." She gave Makoto a wink and lowered her voice to a whisper. "Don't worry too much about making noise. I'm way at the other end of the hall and, well, I remember what it's like to be young and in love." Makoto wondered if making her blush was also something that ran in the Kurusu family.

 

As Makoto put away her bags and pulled out a change of clothes, she took a moment to glance around Akira's room. Very clean for a boy's room, she noted. There were a few small, tasteful watercolors hanging on the walls, and a blue Stratocaster with a small practice amp in one corner. She was pleased to see a small stack of textbooks on his desk, next to an open notebook filled with his tidy but expressive handwriting. Next to those, she noticed, was a framed photograph she recognized as one he had taken on their Hawaii trip, with the two of them standing close together as Ann and Ryuji grinned behind them. While she wished she had a second longer to properly frame herself in the picture, she smiled at the thought that it meant enough to Akira for him to print out and frame.

As she turned to head back downstairs, she noticed a familiar, fuzzy mass lying curled up on Akira's bed. With a small grin, she walked over and scratched gently behind his ear, calling softly. "Hello, Morgana."

The ex-thief perked his head up and let out an impressive yawn as he stretched his back and legs, before giving Makoto's hand a friendly headbutt. "Oh, hi Queen! How was your trip?"

"Very pleasant. Those rural highways are fantastic to ride on, and the weather couldn't have been better." She gave Morgana a bit more of a scratch on the head and neck before nodding towards the door. "Akira's making coffee, so I shouldn't keep him waiting too long. Want to head down with me?"

"Yep, just give me a second to wake up." He stretched his front legs forward, then sat up and scratched behind his ear with his back foot, licked his front paw, and ran it across the fur of his neck and head. "Alright, ready." He hopped down from the bed and trotted over to the door, followed by Makoto, who was still giggling a bit at his "morning routine".

When they got back to the living room, Morgana immediately ran over to Mrs. Kurusu, who was sitting in a very comfortable looking armchair, and hopped up onto her lap. Akira's mother looked down affectionately at the avatar of humanity's hope and began to softly pet his back, eliciting a contented purr. She looked up at Makoto, and they shared a warm smile. "I don't think I've ever met such a friendly cat. And so talkative. It's almost like he knows what we're saying."

Morgana looked up at her happily. "Thank you, Mrs. Kurusu. I do pride myself on my eloquence."

"I believe he's saying that he's proud to be so chatty," Makoto translated with a laugh.

Mrs. Kurusu gave her an impressed look. "Oh, are you something of a cat whisperer too? I swear, sometimes it seems like Akira could hold an entire conversation with this little guy."

"When you've spent as much time with him as we have, he might as well be speaking Japanese." Akira entered, expertly balancing a tray with mochis and three mugs in one hand while he held a steaming pot of coffee in the other. He set the tray and pot on the coffee table and took a seat on the couch, motioning for Makoto to join him.

As she sat next to Akira and he poured her a mug, Makoto noticed a familiar smell. "This is a Leblanc blend."

Akira smiled and nodded. "Mhm. Sojiro's been sending me care packages of my favorite beans pretty regularly. Says he 'doesn't want all the hard work he put into training me to go to waste.' I'm certainly not complaining." He popped a mochi into his mouth.

As Makoto sipped the perfectly prepared brew, allowing the pleasant warmth to spread through her body, it hit her just how happy she was. Everything, from her ride up, to her unexpected meeting with Officer Satonaka, to Mrs. Kurusu's almost overwhelming affection for her, to Akira (especially Akira) was just so wonderful. She laid her head on Akira's shoulder and closed her eyes with a sigh of pure contentment, listening to the sound of his gentle breathing and the low rumble of Morgana's continued purring. She could definitely get used to this.

 

When they had finished their coffee and mochis, accompanied by quiet, friendly conversation, Makoto washed up and changed out of her riding clothes to prepare for their dinner at the evidently quite famous Amagi Inn. One thing did strike her as slightly odd as she and Akira made the short trip up to the inn: Chie had mentioned wanting her to meet her partner. Was it standard procedure for an officer in a small town to work with a partner? Chie certainly didn't seem to be overworked on her own. Maybe she meant a business partner. She had mentioned that she knew the inn's owner, perhaps she had some investment in the establishment. That didn't seem too likely on an officer's salary, though.

As they entered the lobby, they were greeted by Chie, now in a simple lime green dress, who waved excitedly to them. By her side was a rather elegant looking young woman with long black hair, dressed in a cherry red kimono. As they approached, Makoto noticed that the two were holding hands.

Oh, her partner.

"Welcome to the Amagi Inn. I sincerely hope that you enjoy your time with us." The elegant young woman bowed in a way that managed to be both formal and welcoming. 

Chie rolled her eyes with a huff. "Jeez, Yukiko, they're friends, not customers. You don't hafta give them the whole hospitality spiel."

Yukiko's formality vanished as she broke into smile that looked like she was trying not to laugh. "Oh, you're quite right, Chie. My apologies, but greeting guests has become something of a force of habit. I'm Yukiko Amagi, proprietress of the Amagi Inn. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Makoto smiled and gave her a friendly little bow. "Makoto Niijima. Likewise, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Yukiko's eyes lit up at the mention of Makoto's name, and she looked excitedly between her and Akira. "Oh, you're the famous Miss Niijima. Akira has been quite effusive in his praise of you. I'm pleased to see you're every bit as lovely as he described."

Chie, clearly becoming a bit impatient, let out a sigh. "Alright, now that we've got the introductions out of the way, let's eat! I'm starving!"

Yukiko nodded with a bit of a giggle. "Excellent idea, Chie. Please, follow me. I hope steak is to your liking." 

 

"So, how'd you two get together?" Chie asked Makoto between bites of the rather excellent steak that had been served to them in a small private dining room of the Amagi Inn. "We tried to get Akira to spill the beans, but he always got a bit dodgy when we asked him."

Makoto cast an uncertain glance at Akira, trying to think how to tell the story of their relationship without getting into their time as Phantom Thieves. "Well, when Akira transferred to Shujin Academy, he had quite the notorious reputation, on account of the records of the false charges brought against him by Masayoshi Shido being leaked by a teacher, who thankfully no longer works there. The principal, believing he may have been involved in potentially criminal activity, tasked me with investigating him."

"You should have seen her." Akira interjected with a laugh. "She followed me all over the school, and even into Shibuya a couple times, with a big manga volume in front of her face. Truly a master of stealth. Her expression when I just walked up and asked how her day was going was priceless."

"Regardless," Makoto resumed with a bit of a blush, "I eventually came to the conclusion that Akira was, in fact, doing the right thing. From there, we became friends, and as we spent more time together, I believe we both gradually developed feelings for one another. Eventually, he expressed his... interest in me, and we've been together ever since."

"You can't leave out the best part," Akira added with a grin. "When I 'expressed my interest', we were hiding out in a little bar in Shinjuku after Makoto almost got in a fistfight with a scumbag host who was taking advantage of her friend. She told me she'd flunk a test on love, and I said 'I'll be your study partner.'"

Chie and Yukiko looked at one another for a moment, before both exploded into laughter. "Oh my god, you two are such massive dorks!" Chie howled.

"Extremely cute dorks, but yes, massive dorks." Yukiko added, fighting back tears from laughing so hard.

When they had finally settled down, Makoto, now blushing furiously, asked them, "so, um, how about you? How did you two, um, get together?"

Yukiko raised a finger to her lips in thought. "Well, we were always close friends from a very young age, but I believe it was around high school that we began to realize that our feelings for one another went beyond just friendship. We were closely involved in some rather traumatic events that forced us to confront aspects of ourselves that we weren't particularly comfortable admitting, even to ourselves."

Chie nodded in agreement. "I was kinda dating a guy at the time, but after he moved away, we sort of drifted apart, and over time I realized: It wasn't Yu I wanted... it was you." She turned to Yukiko with an affectionate smile and a slight blush.

It began with a quiet chuckle, followed by a loud "snrk", then Yukiko was doubled over, howling in laughter again. "Oh my god, Chie! You are TOO funny! 'It wasn't Yu... it was YOU!'"

"Aw c'mon, I thought it was a pretty good line," Chie whined with an annoyed pout.

Yukiko at this point was struggling to breathe through her torrents of laughter. "Oh... Oh, Chie. It's better than good... It's incredible... I don't know how you come up with these... Oh, I feel like I could faint... I love you so much, Chie." She managed to calm down enough to lean over and give her a quick kiss, leaving Chie with a much deeper blush and a much bigger smile.

The rest of their dinner went by with pleasant, mostly mundane conversation regarding the differences between life in a small town and the big city, Chie and Yukiko's careers, and Makoto and Akira's educations. Chie agreed to a sparring match with Makoto after she got off duty the next day. The two couples said their goodbyes, and Makoto and Akira headed back to the Kurusu household.

 

Makoto lay awake in Akira's bed, her mind preoccupied with a number of thoughts. She had long been of the opinion that as long as two people are in love, society should mind it's own business, but she had never taken much time to think about her own romantic interests before Akira. Ann and Shiho certainly seemed happy together, but they were both very different people from her. However, Chie's tomboyish tendencies and Yukiko's polite and reserved personality, sudden fits of laughter notwithstanding, both reminded her of parts of herself. Chie had even told her that she reminded her of Yukiko. And Yukiko had said that they didn't realize their feelings until they were forced to confront parts of themselves they weren't comfortable accepting. She certainly hoped that she and Akira would be together forever, but if they drifted apart, like Chie and her high school boyfriend, would she... 

The name Hifumi Togo jumped into Makoto's mind faster than she would have liked to admit. Since their first meeting outside a Jinbocho bookstore, she had developed quite the friendship with the beautiful young Shogi prodigy. While she was certainly aware that the girl was attractive, she had assumed that it was merely admiration for her delicate, refined features, and the fierce spark in her eyes when she made a decisive move, and the slight part of her lips when she was thinking deeply about a strategy... The more she thought about it, the less it seemed like just platonic admiration.

She had even, once or twice, toyed with the idea of arranging a liaison between herself, Akira, and Hifumi, rationalizing it to herself as a way to fulfill a likely fantasy of his. Was it his fantasy, though, or hers? Deciding that worrying about it was only digging herself deeper into a hole of thoughts she wasn't sure she was prepared to deal with, she rolled onto her side to face Akira, hoping to get some sleep, only to find his eyes half open and a sleepy smile on his lips.

"You've been staring at the ceiling for the last half hour, Makoto. What's on you mind?" He asked in a gentle, understanding tone.

Deciding that if there was anyone she could be entirely honest with, it was him, she hesitantly began. "Akira, I... I think I might be attracted to girls."

"Really? Me too." He gave her a tired grin.

She pouted with a halfhearted glare. "I'm serious."

"I know." He replied, his Joker's smirk replaced with an honest smile.

"I...wait, you know?" Her eyes widened.

"Well, maybe 'know' is a bit strong, but I've had an inkling, especially with the way you described Hifumi's eyes after your last match with her." Makoto turned away with a blush. "Makoto, it's okay. There's nothing wrong with it. Honestly, there are guys I find attractive."

Makoto gave him a slightly incredulous look. "You aren't just saying that to try to make me feel better, are you?"

He shook his head. "I mean it. I don't really know if there's anything sexual about it, but I've definitely thought 'oh wow, he's cute.' But I think attraction might be a bit more complicated than just who you want to sleep with. Don't quote me on that, though. I make no claims to be an expert on human sexuality." He gently stroked her cheek. "What I do know is that I love you more than anything in the world. And I'm about 99.9% certain that you love me too. And that's what's important to me. Everything else, we can cross that bridge when we come to it."

Makoto smiled and brushed a lock of hair from his eyes. "Well, you can be 100% certain that I love you too." She leaned forward and gave him a soft kiss. "And everything else we can figure out together."

Akira smiled and slid an arm under Makoto, then rolled onto his back, pulling her up on top of him with a quiet "eep."

"Akira, should we? I mean, your mother is..." Makoto asked in a hushed, concerned tone, blushing fiercely.

"Fast asleep at 2 A.M. Besides, I'm fairly certain my mom would be disappointed if she knew we didn't." He mimicked Mrs. Kurusu's slightly chirpy tone. "Akira, you've been apart for months, and you aren't going to satisfy that nice young lady?" Makoto giggled at his impression, as well as the fact that based on her interactions with his mother, he was probably right. "She's on break from law school, you know. A smart girl like that deserves the very best." He punctuated the last two words with a series of light kisses along Makoto's jawline, causing her to shudder with pleasure and let out a quiet moan.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For optimal Central Shopping District experience: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=y9hucC98P1I

Makoto awoke, as she always did, at 6:30 a.m., mentally running through everything she had to do for the day, before she remembered where she was and realized that, aside from her sunset duel with Chie, she didn't actually have to do anything. For the first time in a very long while, she could fully relax. She closed her eyes with a contented hum and turned her focus to enjoying the physical closeness of Akira, his soft, warm breath brushing against the back of her neck, the calm, even rise and fall of his chest pressed to her back, and his arm draped lightly over her side, holding her gently.

She let out a relaxed, happy sigh as she nestled deeper into his embrace. Her eyes snapped wide open as she felt something lightly poke her butt, and she blushed a deep scarlet as she realized what it was. She adjusted herself slightly to allow it to rest comfortably between her cheeks, and let out a quiet giggle at the soft moan from the sleeping Akira. Then she had a scandalous idea (by her standards, at any rate). She pushed herself a bit harder into him, allowing their bodies to softly caress one another, and grinned, equal parts embarrassed and proud, as his arm tightened slightly around her and he gently nuzzled his cheek into her shoulder, murmuring in his sleep, "mm, my Queen."

She thought back to their conversation the previous night, incredibly thankful to have such a supportive lover. While she still wasn't entirely certain how to be bisexual, his reassurance and openness had removed the greatest source of worry from the realization. Perhaps she could ask Ann what it was like to be with a girl, assuming she could work up the courage to ask such an intimate question. She and Shiho certainly appeared to have been intimate, if Ann's deep blush and mysterious smile whenever she talked about her were anything to go on. Would Ann consider such a question inappropriate, though? She had told Makoto many times that whenever she had a problem that Ann could help her with, not to hesitate, and this was definitely something she could use some guidance in.

Akira was always very enthusiastic, to say the least, about giving her oral pleasure (she couldn't help but giggle at the many ways "silver tongued" applied to him, although if she were in charge of assigning medals, she would give him gold), and that seemed like a probable lead. Would she like to do that to Hifumi? She didn't have to think very long to know that she would very much like that. Or to have Hifumi do that to her. Or to have Akira do that to her while she did it to Hifumi... The possibilities seemed endless, and all were very exciting. She found herself unconsciously grinding harder against Akira as she became quite excited indeed, and he certainly didn't seem to mind, judging by the sounds he was making as he returned her attentions in his sleep. And judging by the growing part of him still nestled against her backside, he was becoming quite excited as well, and perhaps they should do something about that when he woke up.

The thought of it brought her mind back to the other thing they had done the previous night, which only served to increase her excitement dramatically. While she had certainly been conscious of how much she missed being intimate with Akira in his absence, it wasn't until they were together again that she fully realized how desperately she had wanted to feel his hands passionately caressing her as their lips came together like they never wanted to be apart again, and the indescribable feeling of fullness and oneness and wholeness as he entered her, gently at first but building to an overwhelming crescendo until... She bit down lightly on her finger to stifle an ecstatic moan as her entire body shuddered with pleasure. As she let out a satisfied sigh, panting a bit, she heard a playful whisper in her ear. "Somebody's certainly in a good mood this morning."

She rolled over to face him with a radiant smile, leaning in to give him a soft but passionate kiss, then rested her forehead against his and looked deep into his eyes with a suggestive smirk as she lightly brushed her fingers along his erection. "Looks like I could say the same about you."

He tilted his head to dart in and steal another kiss, then pulled her into a tight but comfortable embrace as he stretched out his back and shoulders. "How could I not be? I woke up next to my favorite person in the world after three months without being able to hold her." He brought his arm up from resting on her hip, tilted her chin up, and gave her a long, deep, loving kiss.

She melted into it, wrapping her arms around his neck and nestling as close into him as she could. When, after a very long moment, they pulled back, she gave him a warm, intimate smile. "I feel the same way. I couldn't imagine a better way to start the day than waking up next to you. But before we do start our day..." She glanced down with a giggle and a deep blush. "...maybe we should take care of that."

He matched her blush and gave her a bashful grin and an excited nod. She returned his grin with a fiery gleam in her eyes, then pulled back one arm and pushed him onto his back, climbing on top of him with the same fluid motion. She pulled the shirt of her Buchi-kun pajamas over her head, then leaned down to plant a line of kisses along his neck and jaw. He brought his hands to rest on her hips, sliding his fingers under the waistband of her pajama pants and giving her an affectionate squeeze as his breath hitched at the flood of pleasurable sensations.

 

After they had taken care of that and showered, they came downstairs to be greeted by the enticing smell of grilling fish. Morgana danced with excitement around Mrs. Kurusu as she prepared a simple but effective breakfast of steamed rice, miso soup, natto, pickled vegetables, salad, and the aforementioned fish (Morgana assured her, if she could understand him, that he would happily forego everything but the fish, if that was alright with her). As she heard them enter the kitchen, she turned to greet them, and gave Makoto a bright smile. "Oh my, you're positively glowing. Did you have a good night's sleep?" Makoto could swear that she caught a hint of a familiar, playful smirk on the older woman's face.

Makoto nodded and returned her smile with a bit of a blush. "Very much so, Mrs. Kurusu. Thank you so much for your hospitality."

Mrs. Kurusu chuckled a bit as she turned back to check on the fish. "You're very welcome, dear. I've always enjoyed taking care of guests, especially one as lovely and well-mannered as yourself. Please, have a seat. Breakfast will be ready in just a moment. I hope tea is alright with you. I know you two love your coffee, but I find it matches a bit oddly with fish."

After a few minutes, Mrs. Kurusu brought out their breakfast, and set down a tray of fish for Morgana, who thanked her and immediately dug in. Makoto's eyes lit up as she tasted a bite of the fish. "This is delicious, Mrs. Kurusu!"

The older woman smiled proudly. "Thank you, dear. I'm no great cook, but what I do know how to make I can make pretty darn good." She turned to Akira. "So, what are you two planning on doing today?"

He held up a finger as he swallowed a mouthful of rice, then looked over at Makoto. "I think we'll check out the Central Shopping District today. It's the most exciting part of town, and there are a couple things I need to pick up." His mother nodded with a knowing smile, but pressed no further as she delicately broke off a piece of fish and brought it to her mouth.

Morgana, having already finished his breakfast, came over and nudged Akira's leg with his head. "Hey, is it okay if I come with you guys?"

Akira smiled down at him. "Let me guess. You want us to drop you off at the shrine so you can hang out with your friend?"

The faux feline nodded excitedly. "Yes please!"

 

For the most exciting part of town, the Central Shopping District wasn't particularly busy. A few people, mostly either very young or very old, were milling about, but compared to what Makoto was used to, the place almost felt like a ghost town. Some quickly averted their eyes when they noticed Akira, either too out of the loop to know the boy had been exonerated or too ashamed of how they treated him before they knew, but he didn't seem to care, his attention fully focused on pointing out the various shops to Makoto as they made their way to Tatsuhime Shrine.

As they entered the modest shrine area, Makoto had an uncanny sense of being watched, but both Akira and Morgana, both of whom she knew to be highly alert, either didn't notice, or didn't seem to care if they did notice. Akira made his way over to the offertory box and put in 200 yen, bringing his hands together in a brief prayer, and Makoto followed suit, feeling afterwards as though some spiritual power had heard her request and brought her a little closer to him. 

As they turned away from the box, an eerie howl made Makoto jump and cling to Akira's shoulder, but he seemed unfazed, instead pointing to the roof of the shrine. She looked to where he pointed and noticed a fox, wearing a small red apron with a heart pattern, standing on the roof. It howled one more time, then leapt from the roof with supernatural grace, landing a few feet in front of them. It ran around their legs a few times then hopped up onto its back legs with a happy bark. When it had calmed down, it regarded Akira with obvious intelligence. "Yip?"

Morgana popped his head out of Akira's bag and translated. "She wants to know if your request was fulfilled."

Akira nodded at the Fox with a smile and wrapped his arm around Makoto's shoulder. "Yes, thank you. She made it here safe and sound."

The Fox gave them another happy bark and ran around their legs some more, then stopped and regarded Makoto. "Yip."

"She says you possess a powerful aura of Justice and Compassion." Makoto felt a little strange being complimented by a fox, but bowed politely and thanked her, with a bit of a blush. The Fox came a little closer and bowed her head, and Makoto scratched lightly behind her ear. The Fox didn't seem to mind. "Yip."

Morgana hopped out of Akira's bag, and the Fox trotted over happily and gave him a friendly headbutt. "Yip!" He smiled and affectionately nuzzled her neck. "You guys can go on ahead. I think we're gonna hang out for a bit."

As they left the shrine, Makoto turned to Akira with a confused look and whispered. "Are they..."

"Dating?" Akira gave her a shrug. "I have no idea. I'm not even sure how it works with spiritual animals or whatever they are. But they do seem to get along really well, and I'm glad there's someone in town other than me who can understand him."

 

Their next stop was Tatsumi Textiles, where a very tall and fairly imposing young man greeted them. "Yo, Akira! If you're checkin' 'bout your dad, he should be back from Port Island tomorrow." His eyes widened slightly as he noticed Makoto enter behind Akira. "Oh, hey! Is this the famous girlfriend I've heard so much about?"

Akira nodded with a proud smile. "Kanji, I'd like you to meet Makoto Niijima. Makoto, this is Kanji Tatsumi. My dad works as a representative for the textile business his family runs, so he's on a business trip at the moment." He turned to Kanji with a conspiratorial smirk. "Actually, though, I wanted to see if the thing I asked you about was ready."

Kanji broke into a broad smile and gave Akira a wink. "Oh yeah! Yeah, it's ready! Lemme go grab it for you." 

As he hurried off to grab whatever it was, Makoto brought a knuckle to her chin in thought. "He had such an intimidating demeanor when we first came in, but he actually seems quite nice."

Akira nodded and hummed in agreement. "Yeah, he can come off as a bit of a tough guy at first, but once you get to know him he's a real sweetheart. He kind of reminds me of Ryuji."

As Kanji returned to the front room, Akira slipped behind Makoto and covered her eyes. "Wait for it... Alright, now!" He removed his hands and Makoto's eyes lit up at the pair of Buchimaru-kun plushies, one wearing Joker's mask, the other wearing Queen's, with soft magnetic strips in their paws causing them to hold hands.

She was momentarily torn between hugging the plushies and hugging Akira, ultimately deciding on both, squeezing the Panda Thieves between herself and him as she bounced up and down in excitement and held him tight. "They're wonderful! I absolutely love them!"

Akira returned her embrace and gave Kanji a grin over her shoulder. "I'm glad you like them. I think Kanji has outdone himself."

Makoto turned to face Kanji with wide eyes. "You made these?"

A hint of anger flashed across Kanji's face, and he assumed a defensive posture. "What, you think it's weird for a dude to like sewing and Buchi-kun?"

She quickly shook her head. "Not at all! It's just, the craftsmanship is exceptional. Thank you so, so much for making them."

Kanji calmed down and let out a sigh. "Oh, sorry 'bout that. I get kinda heated when folks try to say somethin' ain't the 'right way' to be a man."

Makoto nodded sympathetically. "Actually, I've often worried that my love of Yakuza films and martial arts aren't very 'ladylike', so I understand how expectations based on gender can be painfully restrictive."

Kanji's eyes widened momentarily, then he gave her a happy grin. "Hey, Akira, you were right. Makoto's real smart, and real cool!"

 

After saying goodbye to Kanji, with the promise to hang out again sometime when he was off work and discuss Buchi-kun, Akira and Makoto made their way to the southern section of the shopping district, and Akira's final planned stop for the day.

"A metalworks in a small town? How unusual." Makoto, still holding her beloved Panda Thieves to her chest, regarded Daidara Metalworks with confusion.

Akira merely shrugged. "I don't know who's buying all the weapons and armor he makes, but Master Daidara seems to do pretty decent business."

As they entered, a grizzled older man with impressive facial scars and facial hair, presumably Master Daidara himself, greeted them in a gruff voice. "Have you come to look at my art? Please, look around. Take your time."

Makoto was immediately impressed with the wide variety of very real looking weapons on display. A rack of battle axes in various designs struck her as something Haru would be very interested in. As she examined a fearsome looking pair of katar, Akira whispered something to Daidara, who nodded and went to get something from the back room. When he returned, he handed something small to Akira, who concealed it in his hand.

While Makoto was investigating a finely crafted kozone dou gusoku on a stand, Akira tapped her on the shoulder. When she turned to face him, with a flourish of his hands he revealed a fine silver necklace. At its end was a small platinum replica of her mask, with a pair of tiny rubies peeking out from the eye holes. On its back, the English word "Queen" was engraved in delicate calligraphy. "I wanted to give this to you on the anniversary of your Awakening, but this will have to do. I know you weren't the biggest fan of your mask, but I always thought you looked stunning in it."

Makoto's mouth dropped open and her eyes were wide and shining as she stared at the necklace. "Akira, it's beautiful."

He gave her an extremely pleased smirk. "Not as beautiful as you."

She rolled her eyes and playfully slapped his chest. "How long have you been waiting to use that line on me, you cornball? Oh, but it must have cost a fortune. You really shouldn't have."

Akira shook his head with a chuckle. "Surprisingly, no. I still had a ton of random Metaverse junk, and when I came in to talk to Daidara, he gave me a funny look and asked if I had any 'weird stuff' for sale. He bought the whole lot of it and I pretty much broke even."

Once he had fastened the necklace around her neck, Makoto shifted the Panda Thieves to one arm, bringing the other up to wrap around Akira's neck, pulling him down enough for her to give him an excited and grateful kiss. When she pulled back, she delicately touched the pendant and gave him a glowing smile. "How does it look?"

"Fit for a Queen."

As they exited Daidara's, Makoto with one arm wrapped around her Buchi-kuns and one hand holding Akira's, she noticed Yomenaido Bookstore just next door, and had to take a look. While their collection wasn't much compared to Jinbocho, she did end up buying a book on Aikido philosophy that caught her interest. When she left, she found Akira standing between the Metalworks and the bookstore, staring at apparently nothing with a confounded expression.

She tapped him on the shoulder and gave him a concerned look. "Something the matter?"

He shook his head and turned to her with a smile. "It's nothing. This spot just gives me a bit of an odd feeling."

 

As the sun set over the Samegawa Flood Plain, Makoto and Chie squared off, stretching out in preparation for what promised to be an exciting battle. Akira and Yukiko sat on a nearby bench to watch, with Morgana in Akira's bag between them. Yukiko turned to Akira with a confident grin. "500 yen on Chie."

Akira nodded thoughtfully. "500 on Makoto, but having fought them both, I think the smart money's on a draw."

The two combatants bowed and saluted one another, never breaking eye contact, then snapped into fighting stances, Chie dancing from foot to foot while Makoto bounced a few times then shot back one foot into a wide, solid stance. 

Chie made the first move, hopping forward onto one leg and shooting out a lightning fast roundhouse kick aimed at Makoto's head. Makoto responded just as quickly, bringing up both hands to deflect the kick, wrapping one hand around Chie's ankle, and pressing into her knee with her other forearm, trying to pull her to the ground. Chie rolled into the torque of Makoto's hold, bringing her other leg up and across in an aerial kick. Makoto dropped into a deep crouch and released her hold to redirect Chie's leg over her head with an upward block. As she landed, Chie continued her spin into a back kick, giving Makoto just enough time to pull back and catch her leg in a cross block, pulling it past her side. As Chie continued towards her, Makoto brought up one arm into a back knuckle aimed at her neck, but Chie was ready with an outward block as she finished her spin to face her.

As they stood frozen for a moment, Chie gave Makoto a bright grin. "Not bad! Aikido?"

Makoto nodded and returned her grin. "And some kickboxing. Kung Fu?"

"And a little Jeet Kune Do."

They broke apart and reset, each eyeing the other for any sign of an opening. Seeing none, Chie decided to make one herself. She let out a deep breath. "Don't think, feel!" She danced in with a rapid fire flurry of punches, putting Makoto on the defensive.

Being on the defensive, however, was exactly what most of Makoto's training consisted of. As Chie darted in, Makoto let out a deep breath. "Eight forces sustain creation." She maintained her stance as she redirected Chie's fists with a series of flowing parries. "Movement and stillness." As Chie closed in, she stepped her left leg out into a wide stance, pivoting her body. "Solidification and fluidity." She slid her right leg around Chie's. "Extension and contraction." She pulled in one hand from deflecting a punch and rested it against Chie's chest. "Unification..." She shot her arm forward as she snapped the leg pressing against Chie's back. "And division." Chie flew back and caught herself with a roll, gracefully flowing back up onto her feet.

Chie shook out her arms as she resumed her bouncy stance. "Be like water!"

Makoto rolled her shoulders as she drew up into a closed stance, ready to strike. "The highest virtue is like water."

They came together in an elegant, deadly dance, each flowing around the other as they shot out precise strikes, only for each to be gracefully redirected or dodged. While their attacks grew in intensity, each remained mindful of their positioning, each movement representing years of training and theory compressed into a split second decision. Eventually, they broke apart, each breathing heavily, with blazing fires in their eyes. Then they each stood at attention, and bowed deeply and respectfully to one another.

Akira nudged Yukiko's shoulder. "Told you."

Chie threw her arms up in excitement as she approached the bench. "Whoa, that was awesome! No offense, Akira, but I think I've got a new favorite sparring partner."

Akira laughed and shook his head. "I'm glad you two have someone other than me to throw punches at. Between the two of you, you could start a 'kicking Akira's ass' club."

Makoto let out a satisfied sigh as she walked over to them. "That was excellent. It was an honor to fight with you, Chie."

Chie began dancing from foot to foot, clearly energized by the spirited battle. "No kidding! Man, I haven't had a fight that good since I could..." She threw out a spinning roundhouse kick. "HATAAAA! PERSONA!" When she spun back to face them, she noticed that everyone was staring at her with wide eyes. "Huh? What's up? Was it something I... oops."

Morgana cried out in shock. "Them too!?"

It was Chie's turn to stare, mouth agape. "H-hey, uuuh... Akira... Did your cat just talk?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes it's nice to have both The Art of Peace and The Tao of Jeet Kune Do within arm's reach.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOLY CRAP!

For an unbearably long moment there was absolute silence other than the cicadas of the Flood Plain, as the eyes that had been fixed on Chie snapped to their partners. Makoto and Akira held a brief, silent meeting composed of subtle variations of their expressions. Makoto's eyes flashed to Chie and Yukiko, then back to Akira with a questioning look. "They're Persona users, what do we do?" He gave her a slightly worried look of resignation. "Based on our reactions, they know we are too." Her brow furrowed. "Can we trust them?" The corner of his mouth pulled up into a smirk. "I trust them." Her face smoothed into a relaxed smile. "So do I."

Chie and Yukiko were having a similar wordless conversation. Not only had Chie dropped the P word in public, but it seemed very likely that their companions knew exactly what that meant. There was also the matter of Akira's talking cat, which only served to bolster the theory that the couple had some connection to the supernatural. If they were also Persona users, then playing dumb wasn't an option. They would have to trust that their instincts about Akira and Makoto were correct, and they could entrust the couple with a secret they had shared for half a decade.

The heavy silence was broken by Morgana's excited yowl. "Oh hell yes! You guys can understand me? This is awesome! You're my best friend, Akira, but it's kinda sucked only being able to talk to you and the Fox." He gave Chie and Yukiko a wide eyed, inquiring look. "So you're Persona users too, huh?"

Chie gave him a mute nod and turned to Yukiko, who gave her a solemn nod and began. "Five years ago, there were a series of mysterious murders and disappearances in this town. I was the first victim who was able to be saved. Chie and our friends Yu Narukami and Yosuke Hanamura discovered that the victims were being thrown into an alternate dimension reached through television screens. We aren't entirely sure what the nature of this dimension is, but it seemed to be related to public perception. Within that dimension we were confronted by our own Shadows, aspects of ourselves that we were unable to accept as being part of us."

Makoto brought a knuckle to her chin. "Carl Jung..."

Yukiko nodded. "Yes. By accepting our shadows as parts of ourselves, we were able to Awaken our Personae. With that power, we were able to rescue several others who became our friends and joined our team, investigating the cause behind the phenomenon and the culprit behind the crimes. We called ourselves 'The Investigation Team.'"

Chie let out a sigh. "We weren't great with names. But I think that about sums up the basics. How was it for you?"

Akira looked to Makoto and gave her a nod. She returned it and began. "You already know about the false charges against Akira and his being sent to Tokyo on probation. On his first day, he was brought to the Metaverse by a supernatural application placed on his phone."

Yukiko tapped a finger to her lips. "Oh, the Metaverse is a very good name for it. We always just called it TV World."

Chie rolled her eyes and let out a huge sigh. "Like I said, we weren't great with names."

Makoto stifled a giggle before returning to explanation mode. "He arrived at a Palace, a sort of pocket dimension formed around distorted desires, belonging to a despicable piece of filth whose crimes I would rather not recall. He made a pact with what I suppose you would call the manifestation of his rebellious spirit, Awakening his Persona. It was the same for each of us. We were each put in an intolerable situation, and seized the strength to fight not only to save ourselves, but to strike back against criminals, stealing their distorted desires and triggering a Change of Heart that caused them to confess their crimes."

Chie thought very hard for a moment, then her jaw dropped and her eyes lit up. "Wait... Change of Heart? HOLY CRAP, YOU'RE PHANTOM THIEVES!?"

Yukiko shot a glare at her. "Not so loud, Chie."

"Sorry." Chie dropped her voice to a whisper. "I'm probably not supposed to say this, being a cop and all, but you guys are totally my heroes. Using your Personas to take down scumbag after scumbag, fighting for your own justice! That's like the coolest thing I could imagine! I kinda wish police work was like that."

Morgana chimed in happily. "And we looked damn good doing it, like true gentleman thieves! Although I think Joker got the luck of the draw as far as costumes went."

Chie was, at this point, over the moon. "You got costumes!? And who's Joker? Did you get awesome codenames too!?"

Akira stepped forward, instantaneously assuming the cool and confident demeanor he wore in the Metaverse. "I'm Joker, and my lovely accomplice here is Queen."

Chie gave him an incredulous look. "Queen? What, did you get to name her yourself?"

Everyday Akira was back, and blushing hard. "...sort of."

Chie and Yukiko shared a subtle smile. How was it even possible for these two to be so cute? Chie returned her attention to Akira and Makoto. "Alright, but about these costumes: please, pleeease tell me you've got pictures."

Makoto nodded and pulled out her phone. "Normal recording equipment like cameras didn't work in the Metaverse, but fortunately we have a resident artist, who did an excellent series of paintings of each of us in our costumes, and each of our Personae. Here's Joker." She handed her phone to Chie, who huddled over it with Yukiko.

Chie's eyes darted between the Akira in front of her and the Joker on Makoto's phone. "Wow, hard to believe cute, dorky Akira could look so cool. Your cat was right, this costume is freaking rad!"

Akira gave her a smirk. "Thanks. But wait til you see Queen."

Makoto let out a groan. "I didn't really like my costume. I felt a little self-conscious in it."

Akira rolled his eyes and pulled out his phone, flipping through a few photos. "You looked incredible. Here." He handed his phone to Chie.

Chie's jaw dropped. "HOLY CRAP! You look like a badass, sexy ninja! Why would you ever choose to look like anything other than a badass, sexy ninja when that's an option?"

Yukiko leaned over to get a good look. "Oh my, that is impressive. I agree. I can't imagine why you would dislike such a striking and attractive costume."

Makoto's face was reaching new heights of blushing. "Well... It was rather form-fitting, particularly on my... bottom."

Chie and Yukiko simultaneously glanced at Akira, raising their eyebrows with a look of "for real?" Akira gave them a look that said "believe me, I've tried," and they both gave him devious smirks.

Chie shook her head and let out a sigh. "Jeez, if my butt looked half that good, I'd be rocking skin-tight leather all the time. Heck, I'd wear that on duty. It'd be so cool cruising around on a bike in that."

Yukiko giggled and patted Chie's shoulder. "I like your butt just fine the way it is. It's strong and perky, just like you. Makoto's mix of firm, toned muscle and softer feminine curves is very nice though. Dare I say... An assterpiece."

While Yukiko had another laughing fit over her own terrible joke, Chie gave Akira a wink, then turned to Makoto with a cheeky grin. "I can totally see why he's so head over heels for you."

Akira closed his eyes and shook his head. "Actually, I'm so head over heels for her because she's the smartest, sweetest person I've ever met. And because of our shared sense of justice. And because I think it's kinda sexy that she can throw me around like a ragdoll. It's just a happy coincidence that she's also drop dead gorgeous and has a really, really nice butt."

Makoto, fairly certain that if she blushed any harder she would faint, hid her face in her hands and let out a high pitched sound that somewhat resembled a tea kettle. Chie and Yukiko gave Akira approving grins.

Akira took his phone back from Chie, flipped through a few more photos, and handed it back to her with a devilish smirk.

"YOUR PERSONA WAS A FREAKING BIKE!? How is it even possible for you to be this awesome?"

"Chie, volume."

"Sorry."

 

While they had much more to discuss regarding their shared experience (Chie especially wanted to know everything about the Phantom Thieves, and clearly considered Makoto to be possibly the coolest person she had ever met, excluding Yukiko of course), it was getting late and Yukiko had to ensure that the Inn hadn't burned down in her absence. Makoto and Akira remained on the Flood Plain, where he said he wanted to show her something once it was fully dark.

As they awaited the last embers of the day's quiet exit, Makoto turned to Akira with a sigh. "Well, the cat's out of the bag now."

Morgana popped his head out of Akira's bag. "I think it's for the better. They both seem like good people, and if other folks are in on this, I say we should embrace it."

She nodded with a look of determination. "Agreed. If I were to choose anyone to reveal our identities to, it would be them. And based on what they said, their core values are very much in line with our own. More importantly, this means that there have been Metaverse incidents other than ours. We have no idea how many more people could have been Persona users. It's... kind of a lot to take in."

Akira gave her a serious look that gradually melted into a calmly excited smile. "True, but there's no immediate threat of humanity's extinction at the moment, so for now I say let's get to know the ones we do know about."

She returned his smile with a nod. "Fair enough. It will be nice to speak openly about these things with someone." She suddenly blushed and gave him a bashful glance. "Akira... did you mean what you said earlier?"

He gave her a playful smirk. "I believe I've made my pro-butt stance known on many occasions."

She gently slapped his chest. "Not about that. About... everything. You really think I'm... gorgeous?"

His smirk transformed into a warm, affectionate smile. "I believe my exact words were 'drop dead gorgeous.'"

She looked away with a deepening blush. "It can be a bit tough to tell sometimes when you really mean it and when you're just trying to get me worked up."

He tilted her chin up to look him in the eyes. "I have never said a single positive thing about you that I did not both mean and believe." 

As moonlight bathed the Flood Plains, she searched his eyes. Calm, happy... adoring. He was definitely not lying, she would stake her career in law enforcement on it. A single tear rolled down her cheek as her shimmering crimson eyes looked into his cool steel, and finally saw, for the first time, just how beautiful she was to him. "No one's ever called me gorgeous before." Her voice was barely above a whisper.

He gave her a mock-serious frown as he gently wiped away her tear. "Well frankly I consider that something of a personal failing on my part. Maybe I should start now, gorgeous." He cocked his mouth to the side in thought, then shook his head. "No. See, that doesn't sound right. I feel like a fifty year old salaryman perving on high school girls. That's the problem with gorgeous, it's hard to use in actual conversations." He gave her a warm, loving smile. "How about this: I'll just try and make sure to let you know just how gorgeous you are. How does that sound, beautiful?"

He leaned down and kissed her, and as the moonlight illuminated them, she realized what it was that made his kisses so phenomenally effective. While each was unique, certain common themes and modes were identifiable. Perhaps the most common was the "I'm just incredibly happy to be sharing this particular moment with you" kiss, followed by the "take a moment to step back and take a deep breath" kiss (although by her own estimation she was getting better about that). But from the most playful peck on the nose to the most intense, passionate explorations, his kisses, like his coffee, each seemed crafted in a way that felt both ingeniously meticulous and effortlessly natural, specifically for her and for that moment and with a definite meaning. 

The current one, for example, was telling her "everything about you, your mind, your spirit, and yes, your body, is more beautiful to me than words can adequately describe." For someone who was often quite soft-spoken, it was almost spooky how persuasive he could be.

While Makoto didn't consider herself anywhere close to Akira's uncanny mastery of kiss language, she could say a few things with her lips too. As she draped her arms over his shoulders and sighed into his mouth and allowed herself to be swept up in the blissful moment, she told him "thank you," and judging by the corner of his lip pulling up into what she knew by feel to be that satisfied smirk, he got her message loud and clear.

When they finally, reluctantly parted, for a moment they just looked into each other's eyes again, Makoto slightly dazed, eyes wide and lips slightly parted, Akira with that same loving smile and those calm, happy eyes. Then he glanced upwards and his smile got a bit wider, and he raised one finger, pointing straight up.

As Makoto followed his finger, she saw the sky dyed a deep indigo, and countless stars shining like tiny, luminous diamonds scattered across a field of silk. "The heaventree of stars hung with humid nightblue fruit." Her voice felt incredibly small within the vastness of the universe as her eyes shined like the stars in awe of its beauty.

He let out a soft, quiet chuckle. "Ulysses? I know what you mean, though. You don't get a night sky like this in Tokyo. Even the planetarium doesn't really do it justice. Come on, let's lie down. It'll be easier to stargaze." He offered her his hand and gently pulled her down until they were lying side by side on the grass, his arm around her shoulder as he pointed out the constellations.

As they lay there, Akira's impromptu astronomy lecture fading into a comfortable silence as they enjoyed each other's presence, Makoto worked up the courage to ask a question she had been thinking about a lot since the previous night. "Akira... Do you find Hifumi attractive?"

She could feel him almost imperceptibly tense as he considered it. "This isn't a trick question, right?"

She shook her head. "No, and I promise not to get upset no matter what your answer is. It's just... I've only recently come to realize that I have a bit of a crush on her, and I want to know how you feel... About all of us."

Akira relaxed, and thought about it for a moment. "Well, she's definitely intelligent, and you know how I feel about smart girls. I have a lot of respect for her (hell, I'd better, with a 0 for 50 record against her). She's refined, but has this passion when she gets into a match that's pretty impressive. And she's certainly very pretty. A lot of the same things I love about you, I can kind of see in her, only different. So I guess... Yes, I find her attractive."

Makoto nodded with a quiet hum, apparently satisfied with his answer, and brought her hand up to rest lightly on his chest. "I think she was interested in you before she found out about us. She always speaks very highly of you, and she always had this small smile whenever we talked about you. I could kind of tell she thinks you're cute." She let out a soft sigh. "She's so elegant and charming and beautiful. I'm still kind of amazed you chose me instead."

He leaned over and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek. "Well, it wasn't so much of a conscious 'choice' to fall in love with you. That kind of just happened, and one day I looked in the mirror and realized that I had a massive crush on you pretty much from the moment you Awakened. But I think it would have been hard to date someone who wasn't one of us, especially when we were active. Even though she figured out I was a Phantom Thief, could she really know all of what that meant, and the risks involved?"

He brought up his free hand and laid it over Makoto's. "We were risking our lives on a daily basis, and I wouldn't want to tell her goodbye without knowing if I'd live to see her again. It was totally different with you. We were in it together, and you must have literally saved my life at least 200 times. That's something most couples couldn't imagine."

He rolled onto his side and wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling into her neck. "And dear god, you're so fucking hot when you're Queen. Not even the costume, although I did love that costume, but I can always tell the second you get that look in your eyes that Queen's coming out. And every time, I'm just in awe of how unbelievably sexy you are."

She rolled her neck into him with a giggle. "Okay, okay. But not here. I'd rather not be charged with public indecency when I've just made friends with the local police. The real reason I asked you about Hifumi, though, is I was wondering... if you might be interested in... doing things... with myself and Hifumi... together. If she's interested, of course."

For once, Akira was at a loss for words. He stared at her, wide eyed, and practically squeaked. "For real?"

She looked away, seeming a little disappointed. "I-if you don't want to, it's fine. I-I was just wondering..."

He shook his head with a laugh and tilted her chin to turn her back to see his broad smile. "I think I might have misspoken. What I meant to say is 'for real, my gorgeous girlfriend wants to know if I'd be interested in experimenting with her and the very attractive girl she has a bit of a crush on?' Seriously though, yes. As long as you're both fine with it, I'm game. It sounds like it could be a lot of fun."

She gave him an excited smile and leaned in to give him a quick, happy little kiss. "Thank you."

He gave her his most powerful smirk. "Oh, and Makoto..." He leaned in and whispered. "Hifumi speaks very highly of you as well, and she definitely thinks you're very, very cute."

 

Valentine's Day, immediately following Akira's release, was Makoto's first time... being with him. It was... a bit awkward, but she found the thought of the two of them, both desperately wanting one another and just as desperately trying to figure out what to do, actually quite charming. Akira was a perfect gentleman about it, constantly ensuring that she was comfortable and wanted to continue on, although he frankly didn't need to worry quite so much. She felt that she made it very clear exactly what she wanted.

Makoto was, by contrast, perhaps a bit overzealous, meaning that once they did have some idea of what they were doing, the experience was very exciting, but a bit brief. But they tried again. And again. And again. And they were both very fast learners, especially with such an exciting subject. Over the course of the month between his release and his return to Inaba, their proficiency had improved by leaps and bounds, and their extensive experience communicating as partners in crime made itself known in their responsiveness to one another's desires.

Their sex, like Akira's kisses, was infinitely varied in its subtle gestures and nuances, but could once again be identified as having certain broad categories, the primary distinction being "Joker on top" or "Queen on top." Joker on top generally began with a kiss, not even necessarily a particularly noteworthy or passionate kiss, but one in which he received the unmistakable signal that she wanted more. He would slowly work his way down her neck with a line of light kisses, which in and of itself she found far more arousing than she could rationally explain, before easing them onto the bed.

He tended to prefer undressing her himself, which he approached with near reverence, and to be honest, she found his deft, agile hands unbuttoning her blouse and sliding her leggings down to be an excellent way for him to set the mood. When that was done, he would often pause for a moment, looking down at her naked body like he could hardly believe such a beautiful person existed, then he would give her the Real Kiss, deep and passionate and giving and needing. When he pulled back he would give her a unique variation on his signature smirk, one that told her that he could read her desires in every gesture and movement and breath, and he fully intended to make use of that information.

If Makoto were to list some of the qualities that she found particularly admirable about Akira (which she found herself increasingly doing, now that she had some time away from school to actually be with him), words and phrases like giving, empathetic, good listener, adaptable, responsive were invariably high on the list. She was increasingly aware of how much of his charm and ability to easily make friends was due to his willingness to listen quietly to people's problems, and then seriously work to help them, whether that meant saying the right well thought out, well put thing to push them in the right direction, or literally risking his life to change a heart for them. 

She was also becoming increasingly aware, as she started thinking seriously about her sex life (which she was doing A Lot more of now that she was actually with Akira), of just what that seemed to mean about him as a lover. He spoke the language of empathy better than anyone she knew, but now instead of listening to her problems (although he had somewhere along the line picked up how to give Incredible Massages. Maybe she should ask him to teach her, so she could return the favor...), he was listening to her pleasure, and instead of working to help her, he was... well, you get the picture.

And so as he began his journey down her body, he stopped and took his time at all the places he somehow knew better than she did that she wanted to be touched. Her cheek, her jaw, her neck, down to her collarbones (God, how did he know about her collarbones!? Damn it, he was getting way too good at this, the charming bastard!), down to her breasts (which she still had extreme difficulty believing he actually thought were "perfect", no matter how often he said it), her abs (which he was "all about," as Eiko would put it), and before she knew it, he had infiltrated her Palace and stolen her Treasure.

While his technique thus far was already impressive, his true prowess was revealed when he reached her... (She struggled to find a word for it that didn't either sound too vulgar, too flowery, or too clinical). Before he began, he always gave her one last damned smirk, this one with a simple message. "Ready? Enjoy!" And enjoy she did, to an almost alarming degree. She had no earthly idea how he had gotten so good at oral sex in the short time they'd been doing it, but he seemed to have found his calling. It may have had something to do with Makoto, by this point, giving him far more obvious signs of what she especially liked, making his job of reading her that much easier. The worst (best) was when he knew he had hit just the right spot, she could feel that damned, irresistible smirk caressing her, telling her he was having the time of his life melting her brain.

Once she... was finished, Akira would quickly but smoothly back off, wanting to give her time to cool down (they had tried, when they were becoming more proficient during their learning phase, seeing how many times Akira could make her climax, which had left her nearly catatonic, so he knew to be wary of overstimulating her). He slid back up to look in her eyes, cuddling a bit as he read her face for every ounce of pleasure and happiness on it, drinking it in like Ambrosia, with the happiest, most loving expression she had ever seen. She had a special reward kiss that she was only capable of performing in this moment (number 2 on Akira's long list of "Favorite Things About Sex With Makoto"), an outpouring of love and gratitude that was both tender and passionate.

Queen on top was an entirely different experience (and was also number 1 on Akira's list). It generally began with Akira's stupid, smug, cute, damned smirking face. Teasing her when he could very well tell that she was in the mood. He knew exactly what he was doing, pushing her buttons just a bit longer, to tease out Queen and have her grab his stupid, cute fluffy hair and kiss him right on his damned, smug, cute smirk. And while, after the first few times he pulled it, Makoto did know exactly what he was doing, it didn't much matter. He was providing the necessary stimulus for a specific reaction. That reaction was Queen.

If she were to assign primary characteristics, Joker on top was essentially an emotional and sensual experience. Queen on top was athletic and overwhelming (Akira found himself going to the gym more often to try to keep up, and had taken up jogging since his return to Inaba to improve his stamina). Years of diligent martial arts training, only intensified by her decision to pursue a career in law enforcement, made her body literally a deadly weapon, and she was every bit as powerful when turned to a less lethal aim. All motion follows the same principles, and she found that with practice, she was as much a natural here as on the mat.

While she didn't consider herself dominant in a traditional sense (from what little online research she was able to do, out of curiosity, into BDSM culture, before slamming her laptop shut with a scandalized blush), Akira suggested that the term "assertive" more accurately described Queen. She certainly didn't want to hurt or degrade Akira (although she did accidentally leave some fairly impressive scratches on his back one time, and felt terrible after, promising to be more careful in the future), but where Makoto happily responded to his gentle, intimate touch, Queen was interested in one thing: fucking Akira's stupid, cute, sexy brains out.

While "Queen on top" was technically more of a metaphorical descriptor, it generally did consist of, well, Queen on top, a position that both of them seemed quite happy with. While Akira was staying fit, he wasn't the honed weapon Makoto was, so letting him lie back while she did her thing let him keep up better, while freeing her body to move as much as she saw fit. Really, compared to a kata, the motions were quite simple, although given to endless variation and improvisation. Once she began experimenting with different angles, she knew she was onto something.

While Makoto very much enjoyed Queen on top (it was great exercise, felt incredible, and let her show Akira just how much she wanted him), she was fairly certain that it was Akira's favorite thing in the world (She wasn't too far off). The second he saw that he had succeeded in summoning Queen, he would break into the most pleased grin she ever saw on him, which only served to goad Queen further. The funny thing was, though, as much as he liked it, he only seemed to do it when she, in retrospect, was in the mood. He seemed to be able to tell when she needed the aggressive outlet of Queen or the gentle adoration of Joker.

It also struck her as odd, or at least interesting, that each of them signaled for the other to take control. Her needing kiss brought out Joker, while his playful provocation brought out Queen. One of the few pieces of actually useful information she gleaned from her mortifying foray into bondage forums was that the submissive partner was actually in control of the situation, since they determine the limits. She wondered if both she and Akira might be assuming a similar pattern in which each gave the other permission to control the situation in their own way. It didn't matter too much, since they both loved either mode, and after all, variety is the spice of life.

These were, more or less, Makoto's thoughts as she blissed out, eyes closed, after a particularly impressive performance from Joker. As she opened her eyes and turned to him with a loving smile, she noticed...

That smirk.

That damned, cute, stupid, sexy smirk.

Her eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly, and Akira broke into an enormous, extremely pleased grin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Current Mood: Chie and Yukiko wingmanning for Akira and complimenting Makoto's butt.  
> Listening To: Makoto thinking seriously about her sex life.  
> Goals: Akira getting Makoto's Ulysses reference.
> 
> So, if anyone knows, is this kosher to keep at M rating, or should I bump it up to E? I don't really consider it erotic, even though a third is Makoto thinking about her sex life.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rain Jogging

The next day, it rained. Not terribly heavy, but enough to put a damper on Makoto's plans to take Akira for a ride around the countryside. As she looked out the window, waiting for him to wake up, she couldn't help but feel a little deflated. While the sound of the rain, without the normal accompaniment of traffic she was used to, was very peaceful, and the muted grey light did give everything a certain melancholy beauty, she had wanted to make the most of her time with him. Yesterday had already firmly cemented itself alongside their time together in Hawaii and the day of his release among Makoto's favorite days, and as much as she knew it was unrealistic, she wanted that to go on forever.

The failure of her plans made her keenly aware that their time was limited. While they hadn't decided ahead of time how long she would be staying, she didn't want to overstay her welcome with Akira's parents (as much as his mother seemed to adore her). He was planning a trip to Tokyo later, but then she would be sharing him with all the other people who desperately wanted to see him. And after that, who knew how long it might be before they could be together again? Every moment here with him was precious, and losing a day to something as minor as a little rain felt like those precious moments slipping away, never to be heard from again.

She turned as she heard Akira stir and wake up. He first noticed her disappointed expression, then glanced out the window, then returned his attention to her and gave her a gentle, understanding smile. He stretched, then cuddled up to her and gave her a "take a moment to step back and take a deep breath" kiss. He quickly checked his phone, then turned to her with a charming, kind grin. "It's twenty five degrees. Go for a run?"

While she had initially been a bit skeptical of jogging in the rain, he assured her that it was something he did all the time when it was warm enough, and she trusted him. After a light, energizing breakfast, they each changed into workout clothes. Akira warned her against wearing anything that would become heavy when wet, both because it would be cumbersome and because it would ruin the effect of rain on bare skin, which was kind of the point. So sweatpants were out. She wouldn't normally wear her compression shorts outside, but yesterday had her feeling a bit more comfortable in her skin and a bit more daring.

As she stood there in her shorts and sports bra, weighing a tank-top in her hands and estimating the mass the rain would add, Akira pulled on a pair of running shorts and turned to her, shirtless (She wasn't sure how much of that was for his enjoyment of the rain and how much was for her enjoyment of him) and grinning. "Ready?"

She returned his grin and tossed the tank-top back in her bag. "Ready!" His expression made it very clear that he approved of her choice of attire.

Trusting him, as it turned out, had been a very good decision. The mix of warm, slightly humid air and the cooling taps of raindrops on her active muscles felt amazing, and the wet sheen on Akira's toned body was having quite the effect on her (by the look he gave her whenever he glanced over, she was having a similar effect on him). He kept them to a relaxed, comfortable pace, slow enough for them to easily hold a conversation and for Makoto not to have to work very hard to keep up with his long strides. He was making it clear that this wasn't intended for them to push themselves, but for them to enjoy themselves.

Now that the rain was separated from her unhappy thoughts from earlier (which were already fading away like shadows dispelled by the light of Akira's affection), Makoto could more easily appreciate just how beautiful everything was. Every tree and plant seemed to be very much enjoying the watering, and the vibrant greens of leaves and grass stood out against the soft grey matte of the sky. Everything was so still and so quiet, the only regular sound being the continuous, gentle tapping of the rain. No one else was around, which wasn't too surprising, but it added to the sense that they were jogging through a private, pleasant dream together.

She glanced over, turning from the beauty of nature to the beauty of Akira. Of course she was well aware of how handsome the boy was, but the change of context gave her renewed appreciation of just how much she liked his body. She had never been interested in macho, musclebound men, but his lean, lithe frame was beginning to develop into a bit of a fighter's body that she found very, very attractive. Clearly he was starting to take his physical fitness more seriously, and she realized that a major motivator for that was his desire to hold his own in his matches with her.

She hoped he knew how much she appreciated the effort he put into being a challenging opponent, and also hoped that her consistently beating him didn't make him feel at all weak or emasculated. In truth, his unpredictable, creative style made him one of her favorite people to spar with. If he did mind, he never showed it. For as much as he jokingly complained about her "always kicking his ass," he seemed to enjoy their fights as much as she did, and often told her "I love the kind of woman that can kick my ass" (which was apparently from some anime). Still though, perhaps she should find a way to show him exactly how much she did appreciate him...

Where martial arts were very much Makoto's domain, Akira had a similar advantage in running. He had begun training with Ryuji before he even met her, and his height and long legs made him quite quick when he wanted to be. It was very sweet of him to be so mindful of her relative inexperience, and he seemed to know exactly what pace was comfortable for her. She found herself admiring his form; the smooth, graceful flow of his body. It struck her that this was one more thing about him that reminded her of a cat, and she couldn't help but giggle a bit at the image.

He glanced over and raised a curious eyebrow. "What's up?"

"Oh, nothing..." Should she? Oh, what the hell. "Just admiring my gorgeous boyfriend." 

He nearly stumbled, and did he...? Yes! Makoto Niijima had just succeeded in making THE Akira Kurusu, undisputed master of getting her flustered, blush! It felt incredibly satisfying, and she could see why he loved to make her blush so much. Plus, he was absolutely adorable with that bashful look on his face. She would definitely need to try teasing him more often in the future.

As she jogged along with a very content grin, it struck her just how incredible she felt. An hour earlier, she had been moping out the window feeling like everything was ruined, and Akira had turned it into a wonderful, unique experience for her within a matter of moments. There was that adaptability of his showing what an admirable trait it really was. He always seemed to know just what to do to make her feel better, and could formulate contingency plans at a moment's notice. She supposed that was what made him such a good leader, especially in combat, where he decisively ordered attacks in concert with her analyses of enemies and stretegies.

She turned to him with a bright smile and a grateful sparkle in her eyes. "Thank you, Akira. I was feeling pretty down about the rain, but you've made it something special. I'm really glad you're so resourceful. It's honestly something I've always admired a lot about you."

He nodded, with a serious expression. "I need to be resourceful when there's something important on the line."

She raised a confused eyebrow at him. "Something important?"

He gave her an unbearably charming smile. "Like your happiness."

Alright, Akira Kurusu was still the undisputed master of making her blush, even if she was beginning to formulate counter attacks. When her blood flow had normalized enough for her to form coherent thoughts again, she turned to him, still fairly crimson, with a look of happiness and gratitude and adoration. "I love you, Akira."

A side note here is required regarding Makoto Niijima's use of the phrase "I love you," or rather, her relatively infrequent use of that phrase in comparison to her use of the phrase "I love you too." While Akira didn't overuse the words, he used them as often as he could, and always seemed to know the exact moment that those three words would melt Makoto's heart, whether it was watching a particularly beautiful sunset together or simply lying curled up, warm and comfortable in each other's arms. While she did love him very, very much, Makoto could never really feel confident about her timing, and wanted her use of the words to be every bit as perfect as his. It was, after all, an incredibly important thing to say, and shouldn't be used incorrectly. Often, when the time felt almost right, he would beat her to the punch, although it did feel good knowing that he felt that it would be appropriate at the same moment.

Akira stopped, stock still, and for a moment Makoto worried that she had done it wrong and chosen an inappropriate moment to say such a thing and had made everything awkward and ruined their lovely rain jogging. But when she turned back to check on him and probably apologize, she saw the happiest expression she had ever seen on him (and the last couple days had seen some extremely happy expressions on him). He was grinning from ear to ear, and Makoto couldn't quite be sure due to the rain but it looked like he might have shed a few tears. "I believe I've made my stance on loving you known on many occassions."

In case she had forgotten, the kiss he gave her then made his stance on loving her very clear.

As they stood looking deep into the love in one another's eyes, a figure emerged from the mists, traveling at a brisk pace. Chie came into vision, giving them a friendly and excited wave. Apparently she had also had the idea of an early morning jog in the rain, and was dressed similarly to Makoto. As she approached, she called out. "Hey, you didn't tell me Makoto was into rain jogging too!"

Makoto couldn't help but giggle at the slight absurdity of the situation, as well as the relentless positive energy that seemed to continuously radiate off of Chie. "It's actually my first time."

Chie gave her a cheerful smile. "Oho, so Akira's bringing you into the club!" She winked at Akira. "Good man, good man! Hey, you guys both look fantastic! Whatever workout routine you're on, it's working! Well, you seemed like you were having a good time, so I'll give you some privacy! Lunch at Aiya?"

Akira grinned at her "Of course! To the Meat Dimension!"

Chie raised a fist in the air. "To the Meat Dimension!" She then resumed her brisk jog.

When Makoto returned her attention to Akira, they shared a wide eyed look for a moment, then both burst into laughter. When they calmed down, Makoto sighed and gave Akira an amused grin. "Somehow I'm not the least bit surprised."

He gave her a playful smirk. "Where do you think I got the idea?"

She shook her head with a musical laugh. "She's amazing."

Akira nodded and gave her a pleased smile. "I had a feeling you two would get along."

Lack of movement was, by this point, allowing the coolness of the rain to win out over the warmth of the air, and Makoto shivered a bit. Akira held out his arms, and she shuffled into a warm embrace, sharing body heat for a moment. She nuzzled her cheek into his chest. "Thank you again. This was lovely, but we should probably head back."

Akira nodded as he rubbed her back to warm her up. "Agreed. My place is only about a kilometer from here."

She pulled back and gave him a challenging smirk, with a bit of fire in her eyes. "Race me!"

He gave her a confident grin. "3, 2, 1, go!"

They both shot off into the rain, Akira immediately assuming a smooth but fast medium distance run. While his form at a slow jog had been impressive enough, now that he was actually pushing himself, Makoto found his technique one of the most impressive things she had ever seen. While still barely a challenge for Ryuji, he was clearly in his element, and seeing his body move like that was an exciting experience, to say the least. 

While Makoto didn't have the kind of distance running training he had, she was still in extremely good shape, and could move very quickly. She frankly didn't consider herself to have much of a chance against him, but she pushed herself as hard as she could without expending the energy she would require for the final sprint, and was beginning to gain on him. As he glanced back to see her approaching, for a fraction of a second a Niijima Glare met with a Joker Smirk that was both very impressed and very pleased. Then he put on a burst of speed, still saving a bit, but enough to maintain a comfortable distance ahead of her.

When they reached the final hundred meters, both exploded forward, Akira going into a graceful and powerful full sprint, Makoto furiously demanding her muscles carry her ahead. While she was doing an admirable job keeping up, it was clear she couldn't match him when he was fully pushing his limits. But it was worth it for the view of him, looking as powerful as he did in the Metaverse. She wondered if this was what sparring with her felt like to him. If so, she could see why he seemed to like it so much.

Akira won, but only by a little bit, and not for any lack of effort or enthusiasm on Makoto's part, which made up in large part for her relative inexperience and shorter stride. As they caught their breath at his door, they shared a very satisfied look about their whole adventure, then Makoto stood on her toes to give Akira a soft, affectionate kiss. "A kiss to the winner."

He gave her a grin that was both very happy and very playful. "Does this mean I should kiss you every time you beat me in a fight?"

She tickled his chin and gave him an amused smirk. "Now that's an idea." 

 

When they entered Akira's home, they warmed up with a shower (Makoto wasn't too sure they should shower together, but Akira argued that if everything else they had done wasn't a problem, a shower wouldn't be controversial. Which, she decided, was a fair argument). When they returned downstairs, they found Mrs. Kurusu seated at the coffee table with a large sheet of paper and a set of watercolors. Based on the colors she had blocked out so far, she seemed to be starting a painting of some trees enjoying a light rain.

She looked up as they entered and gave them the comfortable, happy smile Makoto was already beginning to see as her signature move. "Did you have a nice time with your little rain jog?"

Makoto found herself matching that smile, and let out a soft, musical giggle. "Very much so. It was a wonderful idea on Akira's part. I was worried that the rain would ruin our plans, but he always knows how to make me feel better."

Mrs. Kurusu gave her son an extremely proud smile. "I'm glad. Akira, would you mind brewing us up a pot of your wonderful coffee? I'm sure you two could use warming up, and I always enjoy coffee on a rainy day."

Akira nodded, then gave Makoto a quick kiss on the cheek before heading to the kitchen to begin weighing out an appropriate blend. Mrs. Kurusu motioned for Makoto to have a seat on the couch and make herself comfortable while they waited for him. 

As she sat down, Makoto got a better look at the painting Akira's mother was working on. While modest in scope compared to the bold, avant-garde abstractions of Yusuke's work, it was a beautiful landscape, made with a deft hand and a sensitive, charming sense of color and light and balance. "This is wonderful, Mrs. Kurusu. I never knew you painted."

The older woman turned to her with a bright, proud smile. "Thank you, Makoto. That's very kind of you. It's really just a hobby of mine. When I was learning English, I used to watch that American painter who taught wet on wet oil painting. After a few tries I realized that I really liked it, although I prefer watercolors myself. I'm a teacher, so I'm enjoying my vacation too." She gave Makoto a knowing wink.

Makoto gave her a worried, wide eyed look. "Oh, no. I'm terribly sorry. I didn't mean for my visit to impose on your vacation."

Mrs. Kurusu waved her off with a laugh. "Not at all, dear. In fact, thank you for coming. Seeing my son smile is just about the best gift you could give me."

She gave Makoto an uncharacteristically serious frown. "When you all left, my Akira was miserable. It was obvious that his heart had just driven off to Tokyo and left him behind. He must have moped around for a week. Do you know what finally made him smile again?"

Makoto shook her head, and Akira's mother gave her an affectionate, grateful smile. "Talking about you. The second I asked him about that pretty young woman he seemed especially close to, his eyes lit up, and he went on and on about how smart you are, and how you were studying law, and your dream of becoming a police commissioner. It was night and day. Do you know what I told him?"

Makoto shook her head again, and Mrs. Kurusu did a bad impression of her own voice. "'Akira, if this is what makes you happy, then talk my ear off about this sweetheart of yours. I want to hear everything about the girl you love.' And, well, he certainly did talk my ear off. All about how you were a master of Aikido, and he needed to stay in shape to help you train, and how you were a bit of the mom of your group, and took such good care of everyone, and how you always came up with wonderful plans for all your friends, and would go out of your way to help people."

She let out an amused chuckle. "You'd think I would have gotten tired of it after a while, but honestly you sounded like an absolutely wonderful person, and I can't tell you how proud I am that my son fell in love with a smart, strong woman who he respects. I always told him, 'Akira, you want a girl with a brain, a heart, and a backbone.' I'm happy to see he was listening."

Then she gave Makoto an unmistakably Kurusu Smirk. "Do you know what else makes me proud as heck? Judging by how happy you are when you're together, it would appear my son knows how to treat a lady. When he was going on about how brilliant you are, I told him, 'Akira, a smart girl like that deserves the very best.'" She punctuated the last two words by poking the air with her finger. 

She gave Makoto a conspiratorial wink. "I don't need to know the gory details, but I'm glad that I raised a gentleman."

Said gentleman returned bearing a tray with three mugs of coffee. When he had set the tray down and taken his seat next to Makoto, she brought up a hand to gently hold his hair, and pulled him into a very affectionate kiss. When she released him, he looked a bit surprised but extremely happy. "Special occassion?"

Her eyes sparkled as she smiled at him. "For being a gentleman."

When they had finished their coffee, Akira and Makoto succumbed to the warmth and comfort after their exciting morning, and dozed off on the couch, her head resting on his shoulder and his cheek on her head. Mrs. Kurusu let out a quiet chuckle and set aside her painting, pulling out a clean sheet and beginning to mix the color of Makoto's hair.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ~*Obligatory Onsen Chapter*~

He was Joker and She was Queen, and they stood above the clouds staring down the fallen God of Control in the full bloom of their power, strong and proud and beautiful, and they looked into one another's eyes and were of one mind, and as one knew, "even this, we will overcome together," and then they were looking down as from a great height, but were unafraid, and they were naked, but didn't care, and they were Makoto Niijima and Akira Kurusu, but they were also Joker and Queen, and they looked out over a remade creation in all of its beauty and its pain, and they looked into one another's eyes and were of one mind, and as one wished, "all of this, I will share with you," and they embraced and were as one flesh, unified and whole.

Pi! Pi! Pi!

Makoto awoke from an extremely pleasant dream to the sound of Akira receiving a message. She felt his cheek stir from its incredibly comfortable position resting on her head, but he allowed her cheek to remain in its incredibly comfortable position resting on his shoulder as he checked his phone. "Aiya for lunch in 20 minutes, Yukiko's coming too. Should be nearly empty with the rain so we can talk."

She nodded into his shoulder and let out a relaxed yawn as she slowly opened her eyes. "Sounds good. I'm very interested to discuss similarities and differences in the nature of our powers. We should bring Morgana along."

As her eyes came into focus, she noticed something lying on the coffee table in front of them. It appeared to be one of Mrs. Kurusu's watercolors, but not the landscape she had been working on. Instead, beautifully rendered, were Makoto and Akira, sitting on the couch fast asleep, leaning on one another with comfortable, relaxed faces and calm, happy smiles. In the corner was a ring of coffee, and inside was a title and signature: Sweet Dreams, by Akemi Kurusu, for Makoto Niijima.

After carefully checking that it was dry, Makoto examined the painting, and found a short note on the back.

Makoto,

Please accept this as a small thanks for making my son so happy. Sorry for painting you without your permission, but you two together was about the sweetest thing I've ever seen, and I couldn't bear to wake you up and ask.

Akemi

P.S. I promise not to bug the two of you about getting married until you're both 25. Just kidding. Take your time, and enjoy yourselves. If I've ever seen the Real Thing, this is it. Congratulations on finding Love.

As she turned the painting back over and stared, wide eyed, attempting to process the amount of gratitude and happiness she was feeling in that moment, she heard a playful whisper in her ear. "Told you she loves you almost as much as I do."

 

Makoto could not comprehend how one bowl could hold so much beef. If there existed, somewhere in the unknowable amalgam of Metaverses they had stumbled upon, a dimension composed entirely of meat, then the Rainy Day Mega Beef Bowl Challenge staring ominously at Chie would be the portal to that theoretical Meat Dimension.

Chie regarded the bowl with respectful anticipation, then carefully selected the first perfectly prepared piece of meat with her chopsticks and popped it into her mouth, closing her eyes and savoring the savory beefy bliss.

Akira, in spite of Chie's coaxing to join her on her journey to the Meat Dimension, had opted for the non-extradimensional sized beef bowl, from which he occasionally slipped a piece to Morgana, and suggested the house ramen bowl to Makoto as a good representation of the restaurant's fare.

Setting aside her concerns for where the lean Chie would hold such an alarming quantity of meat, Makoto quietly addressed the assembled diners. "I'd like to discuss the nature of our abilities and how they manifested in the Metaverse. Perhaps we should begin by going over just what powers our Personae had."

Chie perked up (even more than usual), but had apparently learned to be more discreet since her outburst on the Flood Plains, as she excitedly whispered. "Oh, oh! I'll go first! I guess I did a little ice stuff, but I was mainly a physical attacker! Power Charge, Tarukaja, God's Hand, boom! Aaaand, lemme think... I had High Counter and Apt Pupil, so I could really knock those stupid tanks on their asses!"

Yukiko giggled and leaned into Chie, whispering. "You mean when you weren't kicking them into space? That cracked me up every time. Galactic Puuunt!"

Makoto nodded. "That's quite similar to the abilities Skull had, although he was electric rather than ice."

Chie gave her an excited, wide eyed look. "Whoa, Skull? Was he like, a total hardcore badass?"

Akira laughed and shook his head. "Not even remotely, although he would love for you to think that he was. He puts on this whole 'delinquent punk' demeanor, but he's about the nicest guy I know. You two are friends with Kanji, right? A bit like him."

Chie thought for a moment. "Oh, wow, that's weird. Kanji was electric too."

Once again, all eyes were on Chie. 

Akira nodded with a hum. "I had a feeling there was something special about him. Can you two apprise him of the situation? You know him a lot better than I do."

Yukiko nodded. "Very well. Moving on, I used fire, and was far more magic oriented."

Chie nodded in agreement. "Holy crap! You should have seen her light up those Shadows!"

Yukiko gave her a fond smile. "But I also had healing spells like Mediarahan and Samarecarm."

Makoto gave her a smile of kinship. "Morgana and I were healers as well, although only Morgana had Samarecarm."

Morgana surreptitiously popped his head out of Akira's bag and nodded. "Yeah, but you had Marakukaja, which meant we almost never needed Samarecarm. You know what they say, preparing is pre... something."

He turned to Chie and Yukiko with a knowledgeable expression (for a cat). "Queen was our frontline healer, because she's super tough, and she could augment our defenses, and had good ways to remove bad stuff enemies put on us. I could heal really well, but wasn't great at taking punches, so I mostly stuck with the backup crew and healed between fights."

Makoto nodded in agreement, then brought a knuckle to her chin in thought. "Some Shadows also seemed to demonstrate enough tactical knowledge to realize that a two foot tall humanoid cat healing the rest of the party was a prime target, like those Baphomets in Shido's Palace."

Morgana suddenly looked very grumpy. "Like those goddamn Baphomets in Shido's Palace."

Chie gave Morgana a confused look. "Wait, humanoid cat? You mean he didn't just look like a regular cat when you were inside a Palace?"

Akira shook his head and flipped through some photos on his phone. "Here's what Mona looked like in the Metaverse."

Chie hummed thoughtfully. "Oh, weird. Kinda reminds me of Teddie. He was a bear. Well, he was like an empty bear mascot suit who lived in the TV, at least until he grew a human body and came into the real world. You know, when you say it out loud, Teddie was real weird."

Morgana regarded her with wide, excited eyes. "Grew a human body? How?"

Chie shrugged and shook her head. "Sorry, no idea. Apparently it involved doing a lot of sit-ups."

Morgana groaned and sank back into Akira's bag. "I hate doing sit-ups."

Akira reached into his bag to scratch Morgana's head. "At least you have a form that can pass for normal in the real world. I'm guessing an empty mascot costume walking around would cause concern."

Chie turned her attention to Akira. "That's all of us. How about you? I bet you were a super cool sneaky magic guy!"

Makoto turned to Akira with a proud smile and rested her hand over his on the table. "Joker was a Wild Card. He could recruit and summon multiple Personae. He was very, very impressive."

Chie and Yukiko's eyes widened slightly, and they gave each other an unreadable look.

Akira leaned closer to Makoto and affectionately rubbed shoulders with her. "I couldn't have done it without my most trusted advisor. I still don't know how you were able to remember so many enemy weaknesses in the heat of battle. And once I was able to get you that copy of the Compendium, you really made something of me."

Makoto giggled and brought her head close to Akira's with an excited half-whisper. "Those were some of my favorite study sessions. Remember Kohryu?"

He laughed softly and nuzzled into her neck. "God, how could I ever forget Kohryu? I loved that dragon. Spell Master, Concentrate, and Psy Amped Psycho Force, plus Mediarahan and the Marakunda and Matarunda we fused onto him. Remember Cybele?"

She laughed and gently pushed him off of her neck, still at least marginally mindful that they were in a public setting. "I did rather like Cybele. I'm quite proud of the idea to fuse her from King Frost and Trumpeter. Bless Amped Makougaon, Debilitate, and Samarecarm, and starting each battle with Matarukaja and Marakukaja saved us a tremendous amount of stamina."

"And it felt incredible." His voice was a low rumble, and he leaned in to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Do you still have Judge of the Dead?"

She gave him a proud, affectionate smile. "Of course I still have Judge of the Dead. I'll treasure it for the rest of my life. I still can't believe you fused Michael to make me a gun."

He gave her a playful, confident smirk. "Entirely worth it. I still have dreams about how powerful you looked holding it. And to be fair, Michael was pretty damn strong in his own right."

As they drifted off into intimate reminiscences of Joker's roster, Chie hung her head in defeat over her wounded but unconquered beef bowl. "You've bested me again, Rainy Day Mega Beef Bowl Challenge, my greatest nemesis." She let out a sigh, then lifted her head up, her smile returned. "Oh well, at least I've got a whole nother meal's worth of leftovers. Hey! Can I get this wrapped up, please?"

As they paid their check, Akira held a brief, whispered conversation with Chie and Yukiko off to the side, at the conclusion of which both nodded with bright smiles. They approached Makoto, and Chie gave her a mischievous grin. "We're stealing you from Akira for some Girl Time in the onsen at the inn! Come on, time for Extreme Relaxation!"

Makoto looked to Akira, who gave her a reassuring smile and a nod. "I need to help my mom with a few things, so you go ahead and relax. And no, you don't need to help us. You're on vacation, remember?"

She sighed in resignation at his anticipating her next question, but nodded with a smile. "Alright. It has been a very exciting couple days, I suppose I could take an opportunity to unwind a bit."

 

As she carefully lowered herself into the steaming hot water, Makoto permitted her mind to wander among the wonderful memories she had already made with Akira in the short time they had been together in Inaba. From the moment she arrived they had been practically inseparable, and he had pulled out all the stops to make every moment magical for her. From his wonderful, thoughtful gifts (she knew the exact spot in her dorm where the Panda Thieves would live, when not being snuggled), to the moonlight on the Flood Plains and being called "drop dead gorgeous" and him both meaning and believing it, to Rain Jogging and making him blush and the look on his face when she said "I love you, Akira", and every ingeniously meticulous, effortlessly natural kiss, and... everything else they had been getting up to.

She couldn't remember a time when she felt so completely loved and happy. And judging by what Mrs. Kurusu told her (Akemi Kurusu, she mused. Such a lovely name for such a wonderful woman), Akira was certainly happy to see her too, although she could tell that well enough by the way he smiled when he looked at her. In fact, if there was anything that made her happier than Akira, it was how happy she was clearly making him. He had a serene, loving smile from the moment he laid eyes on her, and was as playful and exuberant as she had ever seen him. It was a little mind blowing that her just being there meant so much to a man whom she admired enormously. What was even more mind blowing was the extent to which he admired her, based on Akemi's report. While he was never one to pass up an opportunity to compliment her intelligence, that fact that he was bragging about her educational goals to his mother made her love him in yet another way.

As she opened her eyes to check on her companions, she found Chie looking uncharacteristically sullen, and Yukiko whispering something to her with a concerned expression. Then Chie let out a massive huff. "Alright, FINE. Yu was our Wild Card."

Makoto looked at her, confused for a moment, then remembered, and her eyes widened. "Your ex?"

Chie's mouth tightened into a thin frown. "Yep. Yu Narukami, leader of the Investigation Team, brave, clever, resourceful, and cool. The asshole who cheated on me for two months with Rise Kujikawa and NEITHER OF US FUCKING KNEW!"

She angrily slapped the surface of the water. "Rise called me, crying, asking where Yu was on Valentine's Day. I had to tell her he was eating my chocolates. It was the fucking worst. Rise was smart, she told him 'fuck you, I'm on tour, I don't need you', but I was a dumbass teenager with body image issues, so of course I took the shithead back. But I never trusted him again, and after he moved, I got sick of sitting around wondering if he was off running around with some other girl."

She deflated, and the normally radiant Chie looking like a wet coal was heartbreaking. Yukiko scooted closer to her and wrapped an affectionate arm around her shoulder. "Even though I was totally done with him, it still sucked breaking it off. I didn't exactly see myself as the catch of the day at the time, and I was worried if I'd ever find someone else who would even want to date me."

She wrapped an arm around Yukiko's waist. "The day I finally called him, I was with Yukiko, for moral support, and I told her how I was scared of being alone again, but I decided I'd rather have that than him breaking my heart again. And she gave me this look I'll never forget, and she said..."

"Then entrust your heart to me, my Prince, for I shall treasure it like a precious gem." Yukiko interrupted with a loving smile, and Chie's radiance was back and making up for lost time.

Chie squeezed Yukiko's waist as she looked affectionately into her eyes. "I know it's super corny, and I guess you kinda had to be there to get the reference, but it's by far the most romantic thing anyone's ever said to me, and you can't talk, Miss 'I'll be your study partner'. But anyway, I looked her in the eyes and I saw love, and as soon as I saw it I knew what it was and that I wanted it. And I said..."

Yukiko did a reasonably good Chie impression. "'You like girls too?' To which I replied, 'Chie, I've had the world's biggest crush on you since you rescued me from the TV World, and I would have asked you out months ago if you weren't dating that two-timing douchebag.' Suffice to say that when she did call Narukami, she had two announcements to make."

Chie returned her attention to Makoto with her smile and her light restored. "So that's how we, um, got together."

Makoto swam over and put her hand gently on Chie's shoulder and gave her an understanding and compassionate look. "It's awful that you went through that, Chie. You're a sweet, wonderful person and you deserve so much better. But I'm glad that you did end up finding the love you deserve." Chie gave her a sunny grin and pulled her into a friendly hug, as Yukiko nodded and gave her an appreciative smile.

Then Makoto remembered their conversation in the diner, and her eyes went wide with horror. "Oh, and Akira and I were bragging and carrying on like that. I'm so, so sorry. That must have felt terrible to be reminded of."

Chie waved her off. Her fire, having been reignited by Yukiko, would not be dampened again. "Nah, it's not your fault, and I'm super happy for you and Akira. It's just, when you were talking about all the cool stuff you and him were doing with fusing Personas, it made me mad at Narukami all over again, 'cause he never did awesome stuff like that with me. I'm no super genius like you, but it would have been nice of him to share that with me. But I'm living my best life, so fuck him!" She flipped off the vague direction she assumed Narukami to be.

She gave Makoto a cheeky grin and a wink. "Akira's totally different, though. He told us what really happened with Shido, and any guy that gets arrested for trying to stop some rich piece of shit from raping a lady can stand by me any day of the fucking week. And I could tell from the moment I met him that he's out of his mind in love with you. Him talking about you is about the cutest thing I've ever seen, next to you two actually being together."

Makoto gave her an interested, inquisitive look. "I've actually been wondering, how did you both meet Akira?"

Chie sank into the water up to her shoulders with a contented sigh, snuggled up to Yukiko, and motioned for Makoto to have a seat next to them. "Well, when he first came back, he didn't really have any friends around here. I guess most of the kids he knew from school pretty much cut all ties when he got his record. I could tell he was a bit wary of me, which I totally get. With all the bullshit he's been through, I'd have a tough time trusting cops too."

She shook her head with a frustrated sigh at the injustices of the justice system. "But we ran into each other jogging, and I told him, 'hey, you really deserve better than what those crooked cops put you through, but I'm trying to be one of the good ones, so if you ever need someone to talk to, let me know'. And he told me he knows not all cops are bastards, and his girlfriend was studying to become a commissioner to try and fix the system from the inside. I told him 'good for her! She sounds like a great girl!'"

She smiled fondly with a quiet giggle. "And as soon as he got to talking about you, he changed. He had been pretty quiet, kept to himself, but suddenly he was a total ray of sunshine. Charming, funny, and super, suuuper happy. I thought 'either this Makoto is the coolest girl in the world, or she's ridiculously lucky this lovable dork is so head over heels for her.'" She gave Makoto a wink. "Turns out it was both."

"Anyway, we got to talking about our workouts, and I mentioned that I was into Kung Fu, and he right away asked if I could train him. Told me you were an incredible fighter (you totally are, by the way) and he needed to keep improving to give you a good challenge. Well, I was looking for a sparring partner, so you know I was all about that idea, and he's actually pretty good! I think with enough training he could give either of us a run for our money, and he doesn't think in straight lines. Real clever fighter. He's honestly one of my favorite people to spar with, although you were a whole different kind of experience." She shook her head and gave Makoto an impressed look.

Yukiko, having arrived at her part of the story, continued with an amused smile. "I met him when they began using the gym at the Inn for their little dojo. Their fights were very entertaining. Most men severely underestimate Chie's prowess, and either hold back trying not to hurt her or try to show off how big and strong they are. I have yet to see either approach succeed. Akira, though, clearly respected her as an opponent, and fought with some measure of thought and strategy."

She giggled into her hand. "That's not to say he could beat her (she has trained very diligently for years, after all), but it's rare to see Chie have to work that hard in a fight. As I saw they were becoming fast friends, I invited him to dinner with us at the Inn, and found him to be an utterly charming gentleman. He always had wonderful stories about all of his friends, but by far his favorite topic of conversation was you."

She laughed and playfully splashed a little water at Makoto. "He always had the most adorable smile whenever he told us about how brilliant and strong and kind and beautiful you are. When he told us that you would be visiting, I admit I was a little worried that the reality would not live up to his love-tinted image. I am pleased to report that I was wrong, and you are every bit as wonderful as he led us to believe."

At that, Yukiko stretched up her arms and sank a little deeper into the water with a contented hum, their story evidently done. As the three of them sat, soaking in the relaxing heat, Makoto had an idea. She was already beginning to feel like a close friend to Chie and Yukiko, and maybe she wouldn't need to ask Ann after all. At least with them, she wouldn't need to worry about being teased for literally the rest of her life. She worked up her courage, then let out a deep breath and turned to them. "What's it like... being with a girl?"

They both gave her a slightly surprised look, and Chie raised a concerned hand. "Hey, just because I had a bad experience with a Wild Card doesn't mean you should worry. You and Akira totally seem like you were made for each other."

Makoto shook her head with a blush. "It's nothing like that. We're very, very happy together. It's just... we've been discussing possibly... experimenting with one of our mutual friends back in Tokyo."

Chie looked rather disappointed. "Huh... Akira didn't seem like the type. Well, I guess it's better to be open about it. I don't know what's more impressive, that he had the balls to suggest that or that you had the restraint not to tear his balls off for suggesting that."

Makoto raised her hands above the water in a gesture of shielding Akira's honor. "Actually... I suggested it. What you said about accepting parts of yourself that you aren't comfortable admitting got me thinking, and I realized... I'm attracted to girls. Akira was very sweet about it, and I asked him if he would be willing to try... doing things together, and he agreed."

Chie and Yukiko shared another slightly surprised look, then both shrugged with approving nods. Chie turned back to Makoto with a friendly, accessible smile. "Oh, alright. Cool! So, what did you want to know?"

As she thought about it, Makoto realized that she had some difficulty saying what she wanted to know without turning more and more red. "Well, um... mainly I wanted to know, um... how one would... 'be with' a girl. As a girl..."

In spite of her halting and euphemisms, Chie seemed to catch her drift, and gave her a huge grin. "Oh... Well, I can't think of a polite way to ask, so I'm just gonna ask. Does Akira eat your pussy?"

The instant combination of extreme blush and excited smile on Makoto's face was all the answer she needed, and Chie nudged Yukiko with a laugh. "Told you that boy knows what's good! Just look at her face! Someone knows what he's doing!"

Yukiko giggled and gave Makoto an approving smile. "Well, Akira did always strike me as quite the *snrk* cunning linguist."

Makoto, having regained enough composure to form words, nodded sheepishly. "Y-yes, he is quite... enthusiastic about... that..."

Chie nodded and wrapped a friendly arm around Makoto's shoulder and gave her a wink. "Well, there's somewhere to start. You know what feels good for you, just pay attention to what feels good for her. Same as any other relationship, right?" 

Yukiko, coming down from a brief giggle fit over "cunning linguist," nodded in agreement. "Yes, I believe communication is the most important factor, regardless of gender. Don't try to do everything at once, just ease her into it, and as she lets you know what she especially likes, work with that. You're smart and perceptive, I think you'll pick things up quickly. And you could always ask Akira, since he seems quite proficient."

Makoto nodded and gave them a grateful smile. "Thank you both. That all seems quite logical."

Yukiko returned her nod with a satisfied smile. "A pleasure to be of service." Then her eyes lit up and she clapped her hands excitedly. "Now then, if we're finished with preliminary matters, shall we move on to the principle discussion?"

Chie groaned and sank into the water up to her nose, and Yukiko turned to Makoto with a playful, mischievous grin. "We finally have a tie-breaking vote for our ongoing aesthetic debate. The topic is 'Chie's Butt, For or Against.' As you might imagine, I am very much in the 'for' camp, while Chie is 'against'. Chie, would you please present the topic?"

Chie rose out of the water just enough to give Yukiko a pout. "I'm only doing it if you do it too."

Yukiko responded immediately, with an even bigger grin. "Deal! Makoto, would you also like to stand for *snrk* ass-essment?"

Makoto rolled her eyes with a deep blush and a giggle. "...alright, fine."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Current Mood: Harem Endings: not even once.  
> Listening To: Makoto and Akira getting frisky discussing late-game fusions.  
> Sound of Enlightenment: Yukiko's *snrk*  
> Special Thanks: CunninLynguists for my favorite pun. Seriously, listen to them, they're really good. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bhAdcJ8aLsY


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aesthetic discussions

When the three had concluded their aesthetic discussion (while initial votes in each case were 2 to 1 in favor, further debate led to an unprecedented unanimous approval of everyone's assets) and gotten their fill of Extreme Relaxation, Chie and Yukiko gave Makoto a ride back to Akira's house. She knocked, and heard a soft scurrying approach, then Akemi Kurusu opened the door and motioned her inside with an excited smile. As she entered, she immediately noticed the unmistakable smell of Leblanc curry being prepared, as Akemi led her over to the couch and held up a new painting.

"He said he felt like a vain fool sitting for a portrait, but I told him I thought you might like his handsome face to remind you of him when you're apart." The likeness was flawless, from his fluffy, untamed hair, to the cool grey of his eyes, to the curl of his smile, but what stunned Makoto was his expression. There were the calm, happy, adoring eyes she instantly knew from the moment she searched them on the Flood Plains. There was the playful, excited, confident smile she had seen so many times when their eyes met. It was the way he looked at her, and seeing it rendered as its own artwork made it perfectly clear that it was the look of a young man very much in love. Makoto tore her attention from the portrait to look in awe at the woman who produced it, unable to form words to express her gratitude.

Akemi chuckled playfully. "Look familiar? Bet you wonder how his mom got him to look at her that way. Well, I just told him to think about how he feels when he's with you. I may be biased, but I must say he looks very dashing like this. Now, have a seat, because I want to do one of you for him. He'll be busy with the curry for a while longer, so this can be our little surprise for him."

Makoto shook off her daze and nodded enthusiastically, taking a seat on the couch where Akemi could get a good view of her. Akemi began tracing out initial lines for the shape of her face and hair. "Now, I want you to do the same. Think about how you feel when you're together. Imagine he's giving you that charming look, and he's just said something wonderfully romantic."

Makoto thought back to looking in his eyes as he said "I have never said a single positive thing about you that I did not both mean and believe," which, considering he had apparently spent the last four months praising everything about her to anyone who would listen, struck her as wonderfully romantic in a slightly abstract, intellectual way that she found especially appealing.

Akemi smiled and got to work. "That's perfect, dear. You know, Makoto, you really are very beautiful. Your smile is just lovely, and I bet my Akira adores that blush of yours. And your eyes are incredible. I don't think I've ever seen that kind of crimson as an eye color. I think Akira was a bit reluctant to get into how pretty you are because he didn't want me thinking he only liked you for your looks, but you're positively gorgeous."

Making her blush was definitely something else that ran in the Kurusu family. "T-thank you, Akemi... Oh, I'm sorry! I mean, Mrs. Kurusu."

The older woman shook her head with a laugh. "You were right the first time, dear. Like I said, you're practically family, so we might as well get used to being on a first name basis." She gave Makoto a playful wink. "Besides, it's going to get awful confusing someday with all the Mrs. Kurusus running around. Unless you decide to be a Mrs. Niijima-Kurusu, of course."

She giggled musically as Makoto turned away bashfully with a deepening blush (although she did rather like the sound of that. Makoto Niijima-Kurusu...). "Sorry about that, couldn't help myself. But please, keep looking straight ahead. Now, I'd like you to think about something new and exciting that you've learned about Akira, something that's opened up a new door in your relationship. Maybe something that gave you a bit of an upper hand, or made you feel more confident about your side of the equation."

Makoto thought about how good it felt to be the one making Akira blush for once, and how excited she was to begin putting her plans for a teasing counter attack into effect. What Chie and Yukiko said about relationships gave her a few other ideas to turn the tables on him (while showing him exactly how much she appreciated him) that she was very excited to try out.

Akemi chuckled softly. "If I paint you with that expression, Akira's going to have to save it for 'personal use'. I'm glad you two are having fun, but I do hope you're playing safe. As much as I'm looking forward to grandchildren, I don't want you to have to worry about putting your education or your career on hold."

In spite of her mounting embarrassment, Makoto nodded seriously. "I discussed options with our physician as soon as I began planning to... become active. My current treatment is 99.7% effective when taken exactly as prescribed, and I'm very diligent about it." She gave Akemi a shy but excited smile. "I'm also looking forward to children someday, but we're both still very young, and we need to give our educations our full attention."

Akemi nodded with an approving smile. "You've got a good head on your shoulders, Makoto. Hmm, how about this: Akira loved to talk about how much you enjoyed studying together. Try thinking about how you feel when you're working side by side towards a common goal."

Makoto remembered her favorite study sessions with Akira, their shared excitement whenever they found a promising new Persona or a clever way to fuse together useful skills. And she remembered the feeling of fighting alongside him, his instant, decisive responses to her strategic assessments, the awe inspiring power he demonstrated, and their shared goal of protecting their friends and making their own Justice a reality.

Akemi continued to paint with an impressed hum. "Wonderful! It looks like you two really are partners. Alright, almost done. Now, try thinking about some of your favorite moments, those times when you looked at each other and just couldn't believe how lucky you were."

Sitting by the beach in Hawaii, watching the sunset, when he asked her to stay just a little bit longer. On the school roof, after the festival, when she accidentally told him he would make a good husband and he asked her to say it again. In a Shibuya arcade, where they began their mission to broaden her horizons. A tiny bar in Shinjuku where he said he would be her study partner. Leblanc the day of his release, when her 50 day night ended and the sun came back into her life. His room, the next day, when she told him she wanted to be with him, when they both desperately wanted each other and were just as desperately trying to figure out what to do.

Akemi put down her brush with a satisfied smile. "And finished. It was a delight to work with you, Makoto. You're an excellent model." She carefully held up the finished work, and Makoto's jaw dropped. It was her, but there was no way she could be that beautiful. Could she? 

Her cheeks were dusted pink with a light blush, and her eyes were bright and shining with excitement and happiness and love, with a subtle hint of determination in the set of her brow. Her smile was a little bashful, but comfortable and playful, and hidden in its edge was a bit of a challenging smirk. 

Makoto turned to Akemi, flabbergasted, and the older woman gave her a grin and a wink. "I don't think it quite does you justice, but I have a feeling Akira will like it." She laid the two portraits side by side and gave them an approving nod. "Now that's a cute couple, if I do say so myself."

Makoto stood to get a better look, and was astonished by their matching expressions. They almost seemed to be holding a silent conversation. Was that really the way she looked at him? Akira's portrait was certainly accurate to the face she knew so well, but of course she couldn't exactly see what she normally looked like in those moments. The emotions that face conveyed were certainly what she felt with him, and the physical details were accurate to what she knew to be her face, but the idea that those emotions expressed by that face could be so beautiful was something that her mind resisted comprehending, in part due to modesty and in part because of deep rooted self doubt that she was still in the process of overcoming.

As she stood, trying to reconcile the image before her with the image of herself in her mind, she heard a playful whisper close to her ear. "My mom's pretty good, but nothing compares to the real thing."

Makoto was fairly certain that if she blushed any harder she would faint.

Then, she fainted.

 

She awoke about 20 seconds later, seated on the couch, with Akira leaning over her with a concerned, anxious expression, holding a water bottle in one hand and a damp towel in the other, which he was gently pressing to her forehead. When he saw she had regained consciousness, he sighed in relief, then gave her a sheepish grin as he handed her the bottle. "Sorry about that."

Makoto took a drink and gave him an equally sheepish grin. "I... may have stayed too long in the onsen."

Akemi ran into the room with a jug of orange juice and a glass. When she saw that Makoto was awake, she also let out a relieved sigh, and poured her a glass. "Sorry, dear. I should have asked if you needed a drink before I had you sit for me."

When Makoto was fully equipped with implements of hydration, Akemi pointed at Akira with a surprisingly serious look. "You keep an eye on her and make sure she's alright, Casanova." She turned her attention to Makoto with an apologetic smile. "I've got to get to work on the sides for the curry, so I'll give you two some alone time."

As Akemi returned to the kitchen, Akira sat next to Makoto on the couch, and for a moment they shared an embarrassed look, then they both began to giggle. Makoto gave him a playful smile. "You're lucky you're so sweet, Casanova." Then she brought up a hand to hold his hair and pulled him into an Extremely Affectionate Kiss.

When she was finished with him, she turned her attention to the matching portraits still sitting on the coffee table. "It's still kind of hard to believe that's me."

Akira cuddled up to her and had a good look at her portrait. "Didn't that pipe guy prove that it isn't you?"

She laughed and snuggled into a position where she could appreciate both paintings while resting comfortably in his arms. "Okay, Magritte. But you know what I mean. Seeing a representation of myself looking like...that." She gestured at the painting with a look of disbelief.

He shrugged and gave her a playful smirk. "I mean, it is beautiful. Like I said, my mom's good, and that face is pretty high on my list of favorites of yours. But that's one beautiful face of yours out of all the beautiful faces of yours, so I maintain that the real thing is incomparably better."

She shook her head with a laugh and tousled his hair. "I don't know how on earth you got so charming."

"Medicinal baths and Old Man Tora. But I know what you mean, it's a little surreal to see yourself like that. It's pretty tough for me to think of myself like...that." He chuckled and gestured towards his portrait.

She smiled fondly at the painting of him. "I think yours is wonderful. Akemi got all your most handsome features just right, and I recognize that exact expression. It's one of my favorites of yours, too."

He chuckled and held her a bit tighter. "Well thank you, if I can be that handsome for you, then it's a pleasure to be of service. I see that you're on a first name basis with my mom. It seems making friends really is a skill you're rapidly developing."

She giggled and gave him an affectionate smile. "I'm pretty sure I love her almost as much as I love you."

 

After a long time spent simply enjoying one another's company together on the couch, they heard the front door open, followed by Akemi scurrying excitedly towards it. After a quick greeting, including what sounded like a kiss followed by a giggle, she returned with an older man with calm, steel grey eyes. Akira's eyes. Makoto hadn't gotten to meet Mr. Kurusu in the brief time they had visited when dropping Akira off, and suddenly seeing another man with Akira's eyes was a bit of a shock (Akira had mentioned a similar uncanny feeling when he first met Sis).

When he saw Makoto, Mr. Kurusu gave her a friendly, relaxed smile. "Ah, Miss Niijima, it's a pleasure to finally meet you. Akira tells me you're studying law, and plan to become a police commissioner."

Makoto disentangled herself from Akira and stood to give him a respectful bow. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Mr. Kurusu. Akira told you correctly. I've just begun my summer break from the University of Tokyo."

He nodded and gave her a satisfied smile. "Excellent! It's wonderful to see young people working diligently towards an admirable goal. I hope your stay has been enjoyable so far." 

She gave him an excited and happy smile. "Very much so. Everything has been absolutely wonderful."

"Glad to hear it." His eyes remained calm, but his expression became a shade more serious, and Makoto had the slightly unnerving sense of being interrogated by Sis. "Please don't think me presumptuous, but would I be correct in assuming that you're one too?"

Her eyes involuntarily widened, and she shot a glance at Akira, who looked as shocked as she had ever seen him. She returned her attention to Mr. Kurusu with a nervous smile. "I hope you don't think it rude of me to ask, but one what?" 

His relaxed smile widened a bit. "Why, a Phantom Thief, of course. I heard an interesting bit of gossip while I was on Port Island. It seems that the case against Masayoshi Shido is heavily dependent upon the testimony of the leader of the Phantom Thieves, who had voluntarily turned himself in on Christmas day, which happened to be the same day we were notified that Akira had been returned to juvenile detention for 'breaking probation', only to be released a month and a half later following public outcry and a private investigation into the truth of his initial arrest. Now, I suppose this could all be coincidental, but somehow I have the feeling that it's not."

Makoto shot another glance at Akira, who gave her a nervous, resigned shrug. She turned back to his father and let out a deep sigh. "You're good. And yes, I'm one too."

He nodded, then gave her a deep bow of gratitude. "Then thank you for saving my son's life. It was reported that the leader of the Phantom Thieves was captured and committed suicide while in custody. The coverage made it very clear that the authorities believed him to truly be dead, and their willingness to be so sloppy in overlooking his disappearance makes me think they wanted him dead without too many questions asked, but you were somehow able both to break him out and to fool everyone into thinking he was dead for a month before revealing yourselves. I can't for the life of me figure out how you did it, but a plan like that takes a team you can trust with your life."

Makoto, slightly at a loss from the sudden turn things had taken, shook her head with a blush. "Please, I'm sure that I owe just as much of a debt of gratitude to him for all the times he's saved my life."

Akira stood and wrapped an arm around her waist. "She's way too modest. She basically spent six months keeping all of our dumb asses alive, and the plan to break me out was all her and Oracle, our hacker."

Akemi gave them an impressed look. "Oh my, Phantom Thieves, that must have been terribly exciting. I can't say that I'm happy about you risking your lives, but you brought some truly terrible people to justice, like that monster Kamoshida. But why on earth didn't you tell us?"

Makoto gave her a serious look. "We don't tell anyone, if we can help it. Both to protect our identities and to protect our confidants in case the authorities tried to target them for associating with us. My sister and Sojiro found out, but we didn't have much of a choice in those cases, and a few people we helped figured it out, but we try to be as discreet as possible."

Mr. Kurusu nodded, with a curious light in his eyes. "Well, what I'm interested to know is how you did it. You were able to make hardened criminals give tearful confessions, and no one has ever managed to adequately explain what you did, just some nonsense about hypnosis and brainwashing."

Makoto shared a conflicted look with Akira. "I don't think you'd believe us if we told you."

Mr. Kurusu smiled with his calm eyes. "You brought down the most powerful man in Japan and nobody can explain how. If it's coming from two of the actual Phantom Thieves, I'll believe quite a bit."

Akira shook his head with a chuckle. "Actually, three." He turned his attention to Morgana, who had taken advantage of the rainy day to get some serious napping done on one of the armchairs. 

Akemi looked at Morgana, then raised an incredulous eyebrow at Akira. "You're telling me that the cat was a Phantom Thief?"

Akira turned to her with a playful smirk. "I'm telling you he can talk."

"MORGANA CAN TALK!?" 

Akemi's excited outburst awakened the feline in question with a startle, and he gave Akira and Makoto a wide eyed look. "I'm awake! I'm awake! Joker, Queen, what's going on?"

Akemi gave Akira an expectant look, and he rolled his eyes with a sigh. "He's just surprised we woke him up."

Makoto thought for a moment, then turned to Akira. "Close your eyes." Akira, guessing what she had in mind, nodded and complied, and she turned in such a way that both his parents and Morgana could see her hold up three fingers, but Akira could not, even if his eyes were open. "Morgana, how many fingers am I holding up?"

Morgana gave her a confused look for a moment before catching on. "Huh? Oooh, three!"

Akira grinned. "He says three."

Akemi stared, astonished, at Morgana, then turned to Akira and Makoto. "Does he... like me?"

Morgana perked up and gave her an enthusiastic nod. "Of course I like you, Mrs. Kurusu! You're one of my favorite people! And your grilled aji is some of the finest I've ever tasted."

Akira gave his feline companion a smirk. "He says you're alright, but he'd prefer a vegetarian option from now on."

Morgana glared at him with a scandalized yowl. "Hey! That's not what I said at all! Don't lie to your mom about me!"

Makoto giggled and shook her head, then gave Akira a low intensity glare. "Don't tease him like that. We're his only means of communicating." She turned to Akemi with a smile. "He said that he likes you very much and you're one of his favorite people. And he loves the aji."

Akemi beamed at Morgana. "Wonderful! You're by far my favorite cat, Morgana, and I can't tell you how excited I am to get to know you properly. And aji it is. Would you like to come shopping with me to help pick out good ones?"

Morgana's eyes lit up. "That sounds awesome!" He turned to Makoto with a grateful cat smile. "Thanks Queen!"

Makoto returned his smile, then turned to Akemi. "He says that sounds wonderful."

Akira turned his smirk to Makoto. "And he says 'thanks Queen.'"

Akemi gave them both an extremely amused grin. "Queen? What, did you get to name her yourself?"

He gave Makoto a proud, affectionate look. "Pretty much, but we kept it because she liked it."

 

Over curry and coffee, Makoto and Akira explained the basics of Cognitive Psience, the Metaverse, and Personae to Akemi and Mr. Kurusu, with Morgana adding some details through the aid of his translators. While it was certainly a lot to take in, they were surprisingly open-minded about the whole thing and were mostly just amazed that the couple had gone through such an ordeal, especially when they got to Yaldabaoth and fighting for the very nature of reality. Both of his parents were tremendously proud that they had turned such a bizarre power towards helping people in need and fighting evil, although their approaches to the ethical questions their activity raised varied slightly.

Akemi was enthusiastically for them, judging that supernatural manipulation of the free will of rapists and sex slavers was outweighed by the suffering of their victims, particularly when the end result was reform, which the justice system was ostensibly about in the first place. She expressed more concern for the Shadows they had been exploding and mugging, but when Morgana explained (with some difficulty) that they were eternally recurring fragments of human consciousness manifesting as mythological beings, and therefore couldn't actually be killed, she felt a bit better about it.

Mr. Kurusu took more of a deterministic approach, arguing that they received their powers both because of their own actions and forces beyond their control, and that with those powers came an inevitable choice, either to use them and assert their adherence to their own justice, or not to use them and accept the existence of the suffering they could have prevented. Since they were both ethical people with strong senses of justice, there was really no choice, and he theorized that part of why they received those powers in the first place was because they would, necessarily, use them.

One thing they were in absolute agreement about was that the two lovers at the helm of a supernatural teenage vigilante superhero team was about the most romantic thing they'd ever heard of. Akemi was especially excited to hear about their exploits as partners in crime, and was ecstatic to hear how closely they worked together and how much they respected and trusted one another. She also seemed very pleased by the change that came over Makoto as soon as they were discussing serious business. Her son's adorable, slightly shy sweetheart was a scholar, a warrior, and a leader, and she couldn't be more proud of both of them.

 

After an evening of explaining and debating, Makoto waited in Akira's room for him to finish brushing his teeth and getting ready for bed. She dug into the bottom of one of her bags and pulled out a modest set of small, portable hardcovers including The Art of War, The Art of Peace, and The Book of Five Rings, along with a book on coffee and café culture around the world, and a phone charm of a cat that looked exactly like Morgana, down to his bright blue eyes, holding a fish in its mouth with a cheeky expression. The gifts she had brought for Akira, picked up on a trip to Jinbocho with Hifumi.

She looked from the little stack of books and the charm to the incredible, handcrafted Panda Thieves sitting happily together on Akira's desk, and touched the beautiful necklace he had given her, then looked back to the little stack of books and the charm with a frown, thinking they felt pretty shabby in comparison.

The book on coffee and the charm were pretty self-explanatory as far as Akira's interests went, but they felt like tacky little knick-knacks next to the wonderful, thoughtful gifts he had given her. The only thing of any real value were the hardcovers, and they were just some old second-hand editions (in surprisingly excellent condition) that had immediately reminded her of how much she enjoyed her strategic discussions with him when she spotted them perusing the martial philosophy section of one of their favorite used book stores.

But was Akira even still interested in strategy, or was she projecting her own interests onto him? He certainly seemed to enjoy their strategy meetings as much as she did, but now that it wasn't a matter of life or death, did he even want to think about those things anymore?

Akira entered to find a rather unhappy looking Makoto glaring at a little stack of books. "Philosophical differences?"

She let out an "eep" and spun to face him while concealing the little stack of books and the charm behind her back. Her vanishing act wasn't especially convincing, and Akira made use of his knowledge of the terrain of his room to get a look at the scandalous tomes. "What did Sun Tzu ever do to you?"

She sighed and held the little stack of books and the charm out to him. "These... are for you. I was just thinking... they aren't very good gifts compared to what you got me."

He took the books and the charm from her, quickly examined them, then gave her an excited, happy smile. "Makoto, I love them."

Makoto, already in the process of apologizing for her sub par gifts, didn't seem to notice. "I wanted to get you something special, but my funds have been somewhat tight with college, and it had to be something that would fit on my bike, but maybe I should have saved up and gotten you something really nice for when you come to Tokyo."

He gently held her cheek and tilted her face up to look him in the eyes. "Makoto: I. Love. Them. This is all fantastic. This," he held up the charm, then clipped it onto his phone, "is awesome and it will never leave this phone. This," he held up the coffee book, "is going to be so much fun pissing off Sojiro with. And these," he held up the hardcovers, "are incredible."

He sat on his bed and offered a hand to Makoto, pulling her more or less onto his lap as he opened The Art of War to its table of contents. "I have like three friends here (well, four if you count the Fox) and they all have full-time jobs. I've read everything remotely interesting Yomenaido has. And I've missed our strategy meetings so much. Seriously, Makoto, thank you so much. These are about the nicest thing you could give me. And they're the most Makoto gift I can imagine, which I love even more." 

He pulled her even more onto his lap as he flipped through the book to the beginning of the translation, and began reading aloud in his Reading Aloud To Makoto voice. "Warfare is the greatest affair of the state, the basis of life and death, the Way to survival or extinction. It must be thoroughly pondered and analyzed."

Makoto melted into him, feeling significantly better about her gifts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Makoto gives books as gifts. Fortunately, Akira loves getting books as gifts.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...boneless?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Personaversary, Queen!

"You know what feels good for you, just pay attention to what feels good for him. Same as any other relationship, right?"

"Yes, I believe communication is the most important factor, regardless of gender. Don't try to do everything at once, just ease him into it, and as he lets you know what he especially likes, work with that."

The words of Chie and Yukiko (paraphrased to reflect Akira's gender) ran through Makoto's head as she looked, up close, for the first time, at his... (well, if she was going to be thinking about it so much she might as well get used to thinking the word) penis. A spirited discussion of Sun Tzu's qualities of a great general had led, understandably, to them becoming quite frisky, giving Makoto an opportunity to implement a key component of her plans of counter attack. 

While she did intend, if things with Hifumi became serious, to inquire of Akira regarding some of the finer points of his very impressive technique, what Chie and Yukiko said gave her some other ideas that required the element of surprise. Having been the enraptured recipient of his attentions on numerous occassions (combined with thinking about it in idle moments to an almost alarming degree), she had a pretty good idea of the basics, and while she couldn't perform the main event, so to speak, on Akira, she could at least try out the mindset, and give Akira a taste of his own medicine.

And so, as she gave him the kiss containing the unmistakable signal that she wanted more, she pulled back and gave him a playful smirk that said "your turn." Then she eased them onto the bed and undressed him, reveling in the strange excitement of exposing him, and took a moment to appreciate just how attractive she found him before meeting his eyes and giving him the Real Kiss. When she pulled back, she gave him a unique variation on her own signature smirk, telling him she might not have mastered this whole reading desires in every breath thing yet, but she planned to learn.

As she made her way down his body, she led with a feather-light touch of her fingertips, paying close attention to his responses and moving in to take her time wherever she saw he wanted to be touched. Not that he made it difficult, as he was being very clear that 1: he was enjoying everything enormously, and B: when she got to a place that he especially liked, he would make it clear just how much he was enjoying it. She couldn't help but giggle at the appreciative hum he let out at the attention she was giving his collarbones.

When she arrived at the main event (so to speak) however, she was at a bit of a loss. She normally would have at least made an effort to power through her embarrassment and study the subject, but she had only had the idea since the conversation in the onsen, and the day's events had precluded her from properly researching. While she was vaguely aware of the existence of the concept of fellatio, she was primarily familiar with it from profanities and insults hurled by some of her more juvenile classmates, which frankly didn't make it seem particularly appealing to perform. She certainly wouldn't tolerate anyone calling her a "cock sucker," and yet here she was...

Not that she was reluctant to try it out with Akira, whose own oral prowess she may have accidentally given legendary status to with Chie and Yukiko. To be honest, there wasn't much she would be unwilling to try if he asked her, but he had never requested or even inquired about it with her, leading her to question if it was lack of interest (which, based on everything she knew about men, seemed unlikely), or Akira being a gentleman and letting her explore their relationship at a pace she was comfortable with (which, based on everything she knew about Akira, seemed highly likely). Well, she was about as comfortable now as she was going to get about this whole thing.

As she got a good look at him, she couldn't help but think that sex is weird. Here was this little part of Akira (not that it was little, at least as far as she knew. It certainly seemed more than adequate, and fit just right as far as she was concerned), certainly not his most impressive attribute (his sense of Justice), or his most attractive (a three-way toss up between his smile, eyes, and hair), but it could bring her to heights of ecstasy that she couldn't imagine. And here she was about to pop it in her mouth to try and bring him to similar heights of ecstasy. She let out an affectionate giggle at the absurdity of it, and Akira raised a curious eyebrow. "Is it telling jokes again?"

She laughed and gave him a playful smirk. "I just think it's funny that something so small can have such a big effect on me."

He gave her a mock-outraged look. "Hey!"

She burst out laughing and gave him an affectionate smile as she gently wrapped one hand around the shaft. "You know what I mean. And don't worry, you're just the right size for me." She planted a light kiss on the head.

Well, that shut him up. The moment she began, Akira went... boneless? Makoto couldn't help but think of a cat flopped comfortably onto its back as he sank into the bed with an expression of Extreme Relaxation and a big goofy grin that was honestly adorable. She giggled at her comically sedated boyfriend, which came out as an amused hum around his member, and he let out a sharp gasp as his eyes shot open and he looked at her like he had just seen god. Apparently it wouldn't be too hard figuring out what he especially liked.

As she started trying out different motions to find things that were comfortable for her and that he enjoyed (although he seemed to enjoy just about everything to an almost ridiculous degree), she immediately noticed he tasted... clean? It was a pretty new experience trying to describe the taste of warm, living, and very excited flesh, but the idea of freshly washed skin came to mind. She was thankful that fastidious grooming was another of Akira's catlike traits. Throughout his time in Tokyo, his Monday and Thursday trips to the medicinal baths were a ritual he was particularly insistent upon (considering the alternative was the bathroom in Leblanc, she couldn't blame him), and she had always enjoyed the faint smell of mugwort on him the next day at school.

Now that he had access to a proper shower, he was fully indulging himself. His cleanliness, like a cat's, was not a matter of obsession, but of enjoyment. Makoto considered herself to like a nice hot shower as much as one reasonably could, but Akira's unbridled delight at the simple act was both incredibly cute and incredibly pleasant. Showering together was high on the list of Things To Do More Often, underlined twice with three exclamation points. As much as he enjoyed his showers to begin with, washing Makoto had instantly taken its place on several of both of their Favorite Things lists. And while it was still a bit embarrassing, she had enjoyed washing him quite a bit as well.

Her next train of thought began with the realization that finding what Akira especially liked really didn't require any preternatural ability, as she would be hard pressed to find anything he didn't enjoy. He had encountered a few stumbles on his own journey towards becoming a cunning linguist, but Makoto kind of felt like she was taking a test with no wrong answers (she giggled at the thought of "oral exams," and Akira's eyes rolled back as he practically began purring). Everything she tried resulted in a level of contentment ranging from "very happy" to "there's no possible way he's actually that happy." Either she was some kind of savant at this (god, she hoped she wasn't a savant at this), or Akira was incredibly fond of her every touch (please let it be this one, please let it be this one).

As she got into a comfortable rhythm, she acknowledged that this was not nearly as unpleasant as she had been led to believe. Akira was being very accommodating (to say the least), and gave her free reign to do as she pleased, his only input being occasionally lightly brushing his fingers through her hair or giving her a gentle, adoring touch on the cheek (which was actually quite nice). There wasn't much point trying anything too strenuous when the softest touch had him slowly melting into a puddle. It still felt a bit weird, but sex is weird. Akira was clearly having a wonderful time, and his awestruck look at the tiniest moves she made was both very entertaining and actually kind of fun to control. While she wasn't entirely certain about putting it on regular rotation, she was already planning to use this as a bit of a reward when she was especially happy with him.

As she started to pick up her pace a bit, Akira's eyes suddenly shot open and he smoothly but quickly leaned forward and gently removed her from himself. "Wait, wait! Stop!"

Makoto, startled by the sudden removal (just as she felt she was getting the hang of it), gave him a concerned look. "Did I... do it wrong? I've just... never even really thought about doing this before, and you seemed like you were enjoying it, so I wanted to try some different things, and..."

She was unable to complete her entirely unnecessary apology, as he pulled her up to be face to face with him and gave her an incredibly appreciative kiss. When he pulled back he gave her a gentle, relaxed laugh. "Makoto, that felt indescribably incredible, but as a Gentleman Thief..." He suddenly, gracefully rolled them until he was bracing himself on his forearms above her, looking down with a new, almost ecstatic intensity to his smirk. "...My Queen. Always. Comes first."

 

The rain cleared up overnight, and the sun rose on a freshly washed, beautiful day. Akira, beginning to become acclimated to Makoto's early wake-up, tightened his arm around her affectionately as she began the slight fidgeting that signaled she was awake. She rolled over to face him, and for a while neither of them could do anything but giggle at the memory of the previous night. For a while after that, they were content to do nothing but snuggle as closely into one another as they could, occasionally sharing affectionate little kisses. 

After quite a bit of that, Akira broke the silence. "I solemnly promise not to beg for that every night."

Makoto burst out laughing, then gave him a playful smirk and pulled him into a suggestive little kiss. "With as well as you've been treating me, you might not have to beg."

She couldn't stop giggling at the blush on his face for some time after that.

When they, eventually, decided to do something other than lie in bed giggling at each other, they washed (each other) and headed downstairs, to find Mr. Kurusu cooking omelettes. As he turned and gave them his normal calm smile, Makoto realized that she had no idea if Akira's father had the same supportive views of their activities in his house that Akemi did.

Noticing her unease, Mr. Kurusu shook his head with a quiet chuckle. "Don't worry. Akemi and I have talked, and we both want you two to enjoy yourselves. This is a special time in your relationship and we want you to make the most of it. Make some good memories to carry you through the tough times."

Makoto was both extremely relieved and extremely embarrassed. "T-thank you, Mr. Kurusu. Though I can't help but feel a bit rude, even with both of your blessings."

Mr. Kurusu waved dismissively. "Please, don't. You cause us no harm, and make each other happy, so there's nothing to be concerned about. So many of the rules society constructs around what's 'proper' behavior are merely for the comfort of the squeamish. That's no Ethics." 

He neatly divided the omelette onto two plates and handed them to Makoto and Akira, then cracked a few more eggs into the pan. "Actually, that reminds me. Makoto, you have a strong sense of justice, and seem well read. I'd love for you to have a look at this." 

Without ever seeming to hurry, he somehow very quickly moved to the living room, found a book, brought it back, and handed it to Makoto, then turned back to tending the eggs. "It's on Buddhist Ethics, thinking of it as a type of negative utilitarianism based on reducing suffering."

She flipped the book open to its introduction. "That sounds very interesting, Mr. Kurusu. I'll admit that so far I've found my courses on ethics far more lively than memorizing legal codes."

Having gotten a cursory sample of the style and content, she flipped the book shut and noticed the author, Reo Kurusu. She looked up at him with wide eyes, and he chuckled sheepishly. "Yeah, it's one of mine. I feel a bit vain recommending it, but I think it may have some ideas you might find relevant to both your activities over the past year and your activities here. You can hold onto that copy, I have more than enough."

Makoto was at a bit of a loss from the continual surprises the Kurusu family seemed to have in store for her. "You... write?"

Reo, unperturbed by her lack of eloquence, shrugged with a bit of a bashful grin. "Well, it's no best-seller. A bit too dry for a general audience and a bit too wet for an academic setting. One of my friends from university runs a small press, and she publishes me mostly out of charity, although if you asked her, she'd tell you it's entirely to have something to argue with me about. I mostly use it to have something to do in the evenings when I'm off on business."

As Makoto examined the contents more thoroughly and Reo returned his full attention to the eggs, Akemi entered, positively glowing. She practically skipped over to Reo and gave him a quick but very affectionate kiss on the cheek before taking a plate of omelette from him. She turned to the young couple with a cheeky grin. "Hope we didn't keep you kids up last night."

She let out an extremely pleased giggle at the subtle blush dusting her husband's cheeks. Akira leaned over and whispered to Makoto. "With dad's work they're apart a lot, so they're pretty happy whenever they can see each other."

 

Over a delicious breakfast of omelettes, bacon, home fries, and toast with jam, accompanied by orange juice and Akira's coffee (Reo had acquired a taste for American breakfast on his trips overseas, and Akemi had acquired a taste for it from him), Makoto and Akira discussed their plans for the day. With the weather cooperating, she wanted to take him for the ride she had planned for yesterday, which he was enthusiastically in favor of, adding that it would give him a chance to show her one of his favorite spots.

Said favorite spot was a small lake entirely surrounded by forest, with a few small embankments leading to sandy little beaches dotted along its shore. The only way to reach it was a moderately long hike through the aforementioned forest, which ensured that the scenic vista remained fairly secluded. He advised her that they would want to swim, especially as it was a warm day. She worried that she hadn't brought her suit, but he assured her that with no one around, her workout clothes from jogging should be fine to swim in and could be worn under her normal clothes. It was that or stop by Junes to buy one (and she already had a suit, so why on earth would she do that?).

After a brief search, Akira produced a pair of backpacks, which they lightly packed with towels and water (and a first aid kit, Makoto was pleased to note). Then they prepared bento for each other as a picnic, and packed those. Morgana, understandably, wanted to come, but they couldn't think of any remotely safe way for a cat to ride a motorcycle, so he decided to accompany Akemi shopping for seafood instead.

With their backpacks stowed in her bike's panniers, she handed him her spare helmet and they prepared to depart. Akira took his seat on her pillion and wrapped his arms securely but comfortably around her waist (while that wasn't the main reason she wanted to ride with him, it was a reason). The combination of the engine's vibration and the close proximity of several parts of each other that they were highly interested in resulted in an unexpectedly exciting experience for both of them. Makoto, about to start, suddenly sat bolt upright and turned to look at Akira with wide eyes, to which he responded with a blush and a bashful "sorry," which she found both adorable and hilarious.

Once they were on the road, the feeling of Akira's arms around her as she piloted the machine between her legs was a bit of a Zen moment for Makoto. She had, on a few occasions, had the opportunity to let him ride Johanna with her, and while this couldn't quite compare, it was as close as they'd get without supernatural powers. At least her bike was designed for a passenger, and the more moderate speeds meant Akira didn't need to cling to her for dear life (although she had liked the feeling of him clinging to her for dear life very much). He seemed to feel the same way, as his grip on her conveyed a bit of affectionate excitement that went beyond mere concern for safety.

Rural highways were something that Makoto, having spent basically her entire life in Tokyo, couldn't believe she had lived without for so long. The concept of long stretches of road with no one else on them was almost surreal after the perpetual gridlock of the city, and gave her the sense that she could go anywhere, full throttle (within the speed limit, of course). It didn't hurt that the scenery was beautiful as well, with rolling hills, fields, and forests surrounding them in a verdant display of life that nature might as well have crafted specifically for them and for that moment and with a specific meaning, that meaning being something along the lines of "be fruitful and multiply."

After a respectable amount of time spent meandering scenic routes, Akira squeezed Makoto's left side and pointed to a small clearing by the side of the road that was clearly intended for occasional parking, where an obvious path led into the forest. They pulled over and he confirmed that this was one of the better paths to take to his spot. They unloaded their packs from the bike and set off into the woods. Woods were another relatively new thing for Makoto. Obviously, she was aware of their existence and general characteristics from biology, but being inside a forest was a distinct experience from knowing about forests. The closest she usually got to nature was Inokashira Park, which was lovely, but wasn't quite the same thing.

She immediately noticed how quiet it was (although nearly everything in the country seemed quiet relative to nearly everything in the city), and the way that the light was dappled and tinted faintly green passing through the canopy. She also quickly noticed that there were bugs. Makoto didn't generally have a problem with most bugs, viewing them as a necessary part of their ecosystem, but she now found herself a visitor in their home, and found the reality of crawling, squirming life in the carpet of dead leaves and in and around the trees almost sublime, in a strange way. Whatever was flying around her head, on the other hand, was intolerable and she hated it. Akira, noticing her discomfort, handed her a can of spray from his pack, which cut down on the annoyance significantly.

When they had traveled a short distance through the woods, they came to a break in the trees leading to an open field, where their path continued as a line of shorter, walked-on grass surrounded by tall grass up to their waists on both sides. Akira warned her to stay out of the tall grass and told her they should shower and check for ticks when they got home. Ticks, admittedly, had not featured in Makoto's rumination on the hidden life of insects (yes, she knew they're arachnids), and she found herself less positively disposed towards the subtle legion of bugs. 

The field, on the other hand, was beautiful. The grass softly waved in a cool, light breeze, and individual trees had staked out their territory on intermittent small hills, where they had been able to establish a foothold against the otherwise ubiquitous grass. One such hill was directly in the line of their path, and as they reached its gentle summit they were greeted by a large, slightly gnarled maple, and a few large rocks scattered in its shade. They both seemed to have the idea that this would be a good spot for their picnic at the same time, and they shared a very pleased smile as they put down their packs and pulled out their bento.

Over lunch, they shared a pleasant conversation, with Makoto commenting on how beautiful everything was and Akira describing some other nice spots to visit if they had more opportunities for hiking in the future. While she was a bit saddened that such opportunities would be limited on her current visit, she realized that this didn't need to be a one time thing. It was only a couple hours ride once she got out of Tokyo. She could come for holiday weeks or even long weekends, assuming his parents didn't get sick of her. And if he was able to move back to Tokyo at some point, maybe they could vacation here together. Inaba had already firmly established a place in her heart, and she could see her connection to this place and the memories they were making here lasting the rest of her life.

Feeling energized by lunch and a brief rest, they continued toward their destination. As the land began to slope down gently, they were joined by a small stream, who contributed a continuous, pleasant burbling to their conversations. When they reached the end of the field, another path into the surrounding wall of trees led them back into the woods for the final stretch. As they got closer to the lake, the land became a bit steeper and rockier, and they proceeded with hands held for stability. Makoto, unused to traversing such terrain, slipped on a loose rock.

The instant he felt her hand pull away, Akira spun and caught her as she fell. For a moment, they shared a look, concern and relief mixed on his face, surprise and gratitude on hers. She remembered the look on his face as he held her after diving in front of a flying pillar to save her in Futaba's Palace, and she could tell that he was remembering the same thing. She gave him a smile containing all the love it could hold. "I wish I could have done this then." She brought up a hand to lace her fingers in the back of his hair and pulled him into an appreciative and affectionate kiss.

They carefully made their way to their goal, arriving at last at an opening in the trees leading down to a small beach by the lake shore. The light shimmering off the water was breathtaking, and several species of aquatic birds were going about their business among the reeds by the shore. Akira stripped down to his trunks and waded out into the water. Makoto, after checking that there was, in fact, no one else around, followed him. 

They sat in the shallows, water up to their necks, her in his lap and his arms around her waist, and as she leaned back into him with a contented sigh, she couldn't imagine a more perfect moment. "I can see why this is one of your favorite spots. Every moment here just seems... special."

He gave her an affectionate squeeze and rested his chin on her shoulder. "I come here quite a bit so I've gotten used to it, but you make it special all over again."

Alright, maybe a more perfect moment was possible, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *eyes rating nervously* *sweat drop emoji*


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ethical Discussions

Chapter 5: On Sex, Lust and Love

As Buddhism is centered around the belief that suffering arises from desire, it may seem that expression of desires of the flesh are antithetical to the release from suffering that Buddhism seeks. While that's fine for monks and nuns, most sects acknowledge that laypeople are not generally interested in celibacy. I believe, however, that sex can be a profoundly Ethical act, based around a distinction between Lust and Love. 

Remember that while desire is the source of suffering, desire itself is not suffering, and is in fact necessary for our very survival. We desire food and shelter because we need these things, and thus naturally consider them desirable, and suffering naturally arises from the lack of them because of physical harm to us. It is when desire becomes distorted, through pride, envy, avarice, or gluttony for example, that the unnecessary suffering caused by humans arises, as our pursuit of our desires leads us to harm others, and our attachment to impermanent Objects of Desire gives rise to the pain of loss.

We desire intimacy, broadly speaking. Like anything necessary for the continuation of our species, sex is something that our bodies are designed to find desirable, and as the most social animals, we have socialized and ritualized that desire far more than any other species (although see bonobos and their use of casual sex as a greeting and in conflict resolution for the closest parallel to that level of socialization). That desire, in its raw form, and especially as it relates to an Object of Desire, I call Lust.

There are, I would say, two primary causes of the suffering arising from this desire (distinct from the ordinary sources of suffering arising from desires generally we have discussed earlier. See Chap. 2). The first is that the Object of Desire in this case is another person, and any time we see a person as an Object within our framework of causation is ripe for instrumentalization and exploitation. 

The most brutal forms of this instrumentalization are rape and slavery, in which the Will as Subject of the victim is entirely disregarded, but pick-up techniques that try to increase social strength by devaluing the Object of Desire are another form of this instrumelization. While I have no ethical qualms with casual sex, "hooking up" can also be instrumentalizing, but mutual understanding, agreement, and satisfaction can still make it an ethically sound act.

The social nature of human sexuality is at the root of the second cause of suffering. As with any social behavior, sex is embedded within the wider framework of social structures, hierarchies, and power dynamics within which we function. Those whom these structures serve well are in the position of utilizing them to their own ends, and where those ends are using a person as an Object of Desire, those power dynamics can easily be abused. Such power dynamics function on multiple levels, and the way in which they function on an individual person to person level is of interest to me.

While I am very much in favor of the Universal Value of Human Life, in real social terms we are almost never equal, at least in terms of power. In almost every interaction, there is a variance in social position between any two individuals (difference in status, wealth, age, education, experience, etc.), and these dynamics are as much a part of sex as any other action. The abuse of this dynamic can be blatant (a teacher harassing their students) or subtle (someone who feels pressured into doing something they aren't comfortable with because they view themselves as lower status than their partner). Unfortunately, while laws against harassment can stop some of the more obvious abuses, it may be impossible for us to fully extract ourselves from social dynamics.

In a broad sense, Love is a desire for the happiness of another. We could consider this an Ethical understanding of Love (as it relates to what we consider Right Action) as opposed to Aesthetic Love (love of bacon, for example). Ethical Love can refer either to Universal Compassion, discussed in chapter 1, or to more specific Love, as between family, friends, or romantic partners. In either case, it is predicated on the understanding of the Other as a Subject with their own suffering and desires. 

In its romantic sense, Love is a mutual desire between two Subjects for one another as Subjects. As we covered in chapter 3, the primary difficulty in conceptualizing a Subject is that we are in effect infinite, an uncountable collection of experiences, thoughts, opinions, and desires, the insubstantial output of an incalculably complex computer piloting a meat suit. Falling in love is therefore always a leap of faith, as the Subject you desire cannot be known fully. Thus, we are always, to some extent, in love with an idea of a person. That's simply the nature of Subjectivity with the realization of No-Self (Chap. 3), not a knock against Love. In fact, just the opposite.

Recognition of another person as an infinite, unknowable Subject is an acceptance of their real nature and value, and is perhaps a way to move beyond the seeming inevitability of hierarchies to a non-dualistic relationship. When we desire a Subject, we recognize in them a reflection of the universality of our own suffering and desires, and seek to prevent their suffering and fulfil their desires. The two Subjects see their mutual desire for intimacy and they desire both to fulfil their own need and that of their partner, so that the desire to give pleasure may be even stronger than the desire to receive pleasure.

 

"I mean, yeah it's good, but it still feels weird having my girlfriend read what my dad wrote about sex to me."

Taking a break from soaking in the shallows together, Makoto and Akira sat curled up in each other's arms on a spare towel, as she read to him in her Reading Aloud to Akira voice from Reo Kurusu's book on Ethics. While chapters like On Compassion and On Suffering and Desire were basically uncontroversial, if dense, the chapter On Sex had Akira squirming uncomfortably, which Makoto was enjoying enormously.

She turned to him with an amused grin. "Well I find it very interesting. I've finally found someone who writes about love in a way that makes sense to me."

Despite his discomfort, he couldn't help but laugh. "Of course the esoteric treatise on Ethics is the writing about love that makes sense to you." 

She gave him a pout and a glare. "And just what is that supposed to mean?" 

He gave her a conciliatory kiss on the cheek. "Nothing bad, I promise. It's just that preferring a rigorously defined systematic understanding of romance is one of the theoretically infinite things I love about you." 

She sighed and leaned into his kiss. "Well, thank you. I think. Most of what I've read on the topic focuses on how love feels, or how the author thinks you should perform it. I know you give me butterflies, I want to know why. And a strictly material view of the chemical causes doesn't really explain it. The ethical space of human interactions, I think, is a good way to think about what love means, in a structural sense. And I find the idea of two unknowable subjects wanting to understand one another very romantic."

He gave her an unconvinced hum as he rested his chin on her shoulder in thought. "Hm, the whole 'infinite unknowable Subject' part I'm not so sure about. It works fine as sort of an Existentialist interpretation of Anatta, but I don't think most people are cognizant of that when they fall in love. Does anyone really think 'I see you as a reflection of my own subjective nature and seek your benefit'?"

She closed the book, holding her page with a finger as she brought up her other hand to rest thoughtfully on her chin. "You're probably right that it isn't something people are really conscious of. I'm not sure that matters, though. It's like what he said about Buddha Nature. Even without recognizing specific ethical structures, we naturally feel compassion and act to reduce suffering. So even if you don't think 'I desire you as a Subject,' it's the nature of love to treat the person you love as a Subject."

He nodded on her shoulder and nuzzled his cheek into hers. "That makes sense. I still think that it might be trying too hard to find a simple, general structure to fit something that's complicated and messy. I don't know that there's really one general structure to love. I think there are probably as many forms of love as there are people in love."

She shrugged and returned his nuzzle. "I think that's always the case when we try to apply structures to human behavior, but it's necessary to look for generalized patterns because it would be impossible to consider every specific case whenever we talk about a type of behavior. Besides, isn't the recognition of Subjectivity exactly an understanding that every case will be uniquely specific, even if we can try to apply broader structures to find functional patterns? So there could be as many different recognitions of the Other as Subject as there are people who love."

He thought for a moment, then wrapped his arms around her waist and fell back, pulling them down gently to lie together on the towel. "I'll concede that point. What does it mean in practice though? In a general sense, I guess 'make each other happy,' but I'm trying to wrap my head around what it means to desire you as a Subject. It feels true, but it's hard to put into words how that feels."

She rolled onto her side and snuggled up to him. "I think that it's a matter of loving you as a complete person, even if I can't know everything going on in that cute head of yours. And wanting to relieve your suffering and fulfil your desires seems pretty self explanatory. I hate to see you hurt and always want to help you." She ran her fingers affectionately across his chest. "And you certainly seem to know a thing or two about the desire to give pleasure."

He rolled to face her and rested his forehead against hers, meeting her eyes with a playful, adoring look. "To be fair you make it a lot of fun for me. The way you grab my hair when you're really getting into it feels pretty amazing. And the kiss you give me afterwards is my second favorite thing about sex with you. And you taste incredible."

She giggled and rubbed noses with him. "You made it quite a bit of fun for me too. I was a bit nervous about doing... that, but you were so adorable looking like you couldn't believe what was happening. It was very amusing. And I'm actually beginning to rather like the taste of you as well. Although as far as things you especially like, I think I still prefer Queen on top."

He laughed, and his eyes crinkled slightly, sparkling with affection. "You call it Queen on top? That is officially now my favorite thing and I'm calling it that forever. God I love Queen on top. It's almost scary how sexy you are. I feel kind of bad having to tease you to bring it out, but you seem like you're having a pretty good time too, and I really can't resist. I try to only do it when I can tell you want to get some aggression out, because I know you tend to like the softer stuff."

She hummed affectionately. "Mmm, you can be so gentle, and you always seem to know just where and how to touch me to make me feel wonderful. There are no word to describe how good you make me feel. I don't know how you got so good at that."

He grinned and leaned in to give her a playful kiss. "You seemed to figure it out pretty quickly last night. You were reading me like a book, finding spots I never knew I wanted to be touched. It felt incredible. I can't believe we both go wild from having our collarbones kissed."

She pulled him closer, letting their bodies rest fully against one another. "Well, I have an excellent study partner."

He smiled and gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I hope we never stop learning."

She sighed contentedly as she held him close. "You always know just what to say to sweep me off my feet."

 

They spent a long time just enjoying one another's closeness and the beauty and seclusion the spot offered them. While they were both feeling quite amorous, Makoto wasn't fully comfortable going much further than a very passionate make out session in a place where someone could still theoretically stumble upon them. As they both began to feel a bit frustrated at the inability to fully indulge each other, Akira suggested they go for a swim to cool off, in more ways than one.

Makoto was a bit nervous at the prospect. Swimming was definitely not her forte as far as physical activities went, and other than the occasional beach trip, her aquatic adventures were mostly confined to lessons in a pool when she was younger. Certainly not a lake where she couldn't see the bottom any more than a few feet down. Akira, sensing her worry, offered to slowly ease her into it at a comfortable pace, which sounded both very nice and very Akira to her.

They waded out to a point where it was shallow enough for them to stand with their heads above the water but deep enough for them to practice swimming and treading water. Makoto quickly found that while it had been a while, the motions came quite naturally, and with Akira just a few feet away keeping a watchful eye on her, she was feeling much more comfortable. Once she had reacquainted herself with a few strokes and was reasonably confident in her ability to stay afloat, she was feeling brave enough to swim out a ways into the deeper part of the lake.

It was a strange experience treading water at the surface of unknown depths, and at first she felt a little anxious, but Akira was clearly both comfortable in the water and paying full attention to her safety, and she found his proximity incredibly reassuring. He was very good at making her feel comfortable and safe in new situations, which was one of the theoretically infinite things she loved about him.

When they had swam together long enough to begin getting a bit tired, Akira brought his legs up to float on his back, and Makoto followed suit. Once they were both floating, Akira reached out a hand and held hers, anchoring them together as they lay comfortably atop the water. Makoto's heart fluttered at the feeling, and she wondered how he knew to do such wonderfully romantic things. As she looked up at the perfectly blue sky and felt the soft flow of the water cradling her and the gentle strength of Akira's hand holding her, she committed another moment to the growing cache of wonderful memories they were making together.

As she meditated on how happy she was, she felt a light but very sudden nudge on the back of her upper thigh. She let out a very surprised yelp and flailed momentarily, losing her equilibrium as her legs sank back into the water. Akira immediately dropped his own legs to tread water next to her as he lightly supported her with a hand on her waist. He gave her a concerned look. "What happened?"

She quickly looked around her for any sign of what it could have been, then turned to him with wide eyes. "Something brushed against my leg."

He looked very relieved as he gave her a sheepish chuckle. "Oh yeah, sorry. I should have warned you about them. They don't bite, but they can get a bit curious when you aren't moving much for a while."

Realizing that they were visitors in the home of some sort of small fish, Makoto let out a relieved giggle. Then her eyes shot open as the curious fish poked her again. "It... seems to like my... butt."

Akira laughed and gave her a playful grin. "Well that makes two of us."

 

As the sun began to sink in the sky, Makoto and Akira, having gotten a satisfactory amount of enjoyment out of swimming, soaking, reading, and cuddling at the lake, began to make their way back to the trail entrance where her trusty bike awaited them patiently. As they made their way through the outer section of woods, they arrived at a fork, where another trail divided off from the one they had been taking. 

Akira stopped and thought for a moment, then pointed down the new trail. "This way is a bit longer, but it should be the right time of year, and if it is, I don't want you to miss this."

They continued for a short distance down their impromptu detour, which led them into a gentle dip of the land, where it became apparent what he didn't want her to miss. All around them, as far as they could see, were wild hydrangea bushes in full bloom, with clusters of pale blue flowers stretching from the edge of the trail across the shallow valley.

Makoto turned to Akira with a look of awe. He gave her a charming, pleased smile as he deftly plucked a cluster of flowers from a nearby bush and held it out to her. "For you, my Queen." He carefully slid the stem under her hairband, just above her ear, then gave her an affectionate, approving nod.

While Makoto was by no means blind to the beauty of flowers (she found the various blossom festivals both interesting and lovely), she had never quite understood the attachment her peers held to them as tokens of romance (although she very much enjoyed the bouquets Akira would occasionally surprise her with from Rafflesia, in part because of the clever little puzzles he would construct from combining several flowers' symbolic meanings, using the impressive knowledge he had acquired working there).

Finding herself suddenly surrounded by a full on celebration of blossoms with Akira, she felt she got the appeal a bit better. She found herself wondering what hydrangeas symbolized as she examined the seemingly endless carpet of flowers.

Akira, having apparently developed telepathy, supplied the answer. "They have a bunch of different meanings, but I think 'gratitude for understanding' and 'enduring love' both work in this case."

She turned back to him with an exceptionally happy smile to find him with his phone out and its camera trained on her. Click! Akira seemed extremely pleased with the resulting photo. "This goes right next to the one from Hawaii."

He turned the phone to show her, and even she had to admit that she looked lovely. The pale blue flowers complemented the deep crimson of her eyes nicely, and she recognized shades of the excited and loving expression Akemi had painted. He was getting very good at making her feel beautiful, and while that had never been a primary concern of hers, it felt quite nice.

He quickly saved the picture and held his phone up again. "Now let's get some with you properly framed and posed."

While she wasn't opposed to the idea, she had an idea of her own to try. "Only if we do you too."

His response was immediate and accompanied by a broad grin. "Deal."

Feeling quite playful, Makoto plucked a pair of clusters and arranged them carefully over Akira's ears (he looked adorable). As they made their way at a leisurely pace through the hydrangea forest, they got a number of good shots of them, individually and together, standing in front of particularly impressive flower formations, both looking very happy to be there.

As she pondered the meaning of enduring love, Makoto was keenly aware of how much she wanted to spend the rest of her life enjoying moments like this with Akira. Every day they were together had more wonderful memories than the months they were apart. She thought back to what his father said about making good memories to carry them through the tough times, and realized that these were the things that would sustain her through the months they might be apart again, and that no matter how long they were apart, days like this would make it all worthwhile.

As they left the hydrangeas behind, she asked him to send her every picture they took, and set her background to her favorite, both of them smiling with their arms around each other's waists, Akira looking especially cute and silly with his pair of adornments, Makoto looking like she was about to burst out laughing at him.

On the equally enjoyable ride back to Akira's house (the feeling of his arms secure and comfortable around her never got old), she couldn't stop smiling at how well their plans had come together. He had taken her idea and added his own special something to make everything even better than she could have imagined. 

She had always wanted theirs to be a relationship of equals (and as much as she looked up to him, she was incredibly grateful and proud of how much he seemed to look up to her), so working together as partners to execute a plan both of them enjoyed immensely was a uniquely satisfying experience.

Working together to plan dates was definitely one more for the Things To Do More Often list.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hydrangea forest:  
> https://66.media.tumblr.com/f7fc3b8c0d0167156f0b2f547be89da3/tumblr_p8qjopBAgm1wo5hdvo1_1280.jpg  
> https://66.media.tumblr.com/6589b7769e4f77ef18e6b480f1dd8d74/tumblr_p8qjopBAgm1wo5hdvo2_1280.jpg  
> https://66.media.tumblr.com/0d795f24c41bd1f930117d745c31deb3/tumblr_p8qjopBAgm1wo5hdvo3_640.jpg


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Free Your Mind... And Your Ass Will Follow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *eyes rating* welp.

"Well, in my view art is essentially a crystallization of experience, so since everyone has their own unique subjective experience, everyone will express themselves in their own way."

"Sure, but when you need a 200 page artist's statement to explain why you put a single mauve square on a blank canvas, it seems to me like there must be a more effective way to express your experience."

When Makoto and Akira returned to his home, they were greeted by the sound of spirited but civil debate. Akemi and Reo were both seated in the larger of the two armchairs, her sitting sideways with her legs steepled over his lap. She had a small sketch pad resting on her thighs and was drawing his expression, while he was writing in a notepad laid on the side of her leg, as they argued amicably about the value of abstract art. While their positions were difficult to conceptualize, they somehow made it seem both comfortable and functional.

They both looked up with smiles when they noticed the young couple enter, and Akemi set her sketch pad aside and stretched her arms. "Did you two have a nice adventure?"

Makoto nodded with a contented sigh. "It was wonderful. The lake was beautiful, and Akira showed me the hydrangea blossoms. I've never really had the opportunity to experience nature like that." She gave Reo an excited look. "Oh, and we began reading your book together on the beach. It's very fascinating."

Akira gave her a playful grin. "We got a little distracted by our own ethical discussions though."

Reo gave them a satisfied nod and a smile. "If I can provide a starting point for further debate, I consider my mission accomplished."

Makoto hummed in agreement. "It was quite a unique perspective for me. I'll admit, I never considered myself particularly religious, although we do have a small Butsudan in my sister's apartment. My experience with Buddhism is mostly limited to what we learned in class, which tended to focus on the history and the metaphysics. All of that was interesting, but your view of it as a fundamentally ethical position is very appealing to me."

Reo nodded thoughtfully. "I think that the view from outside tends to focus mostly on the mysterious aspects, Nirvana and enlightenment and reincarnation, while for practitioners the core is mindset and meditation and mantras. For me, though, the real essence is the ontology and the ethics derived from it. Frankly, I don't consider myself particularly religious myself, but I think there's enough of value to discuss in a philosophical context."

Akemi rolled her eyes with a laugh. "He says he's not religious, but you should hear him debate the finer points of doctrine with our monk friends. And he's been sitting zazen for years. I always tease him that he'd become a monk in a minute if it weren't for the celibacy."

Reo shook his head with a sigh and a bit of a blush. "To some extent, I believe it comes down to a semantic argument regarding at what point one considers oneself a practitioner. I do generally find myself in agreement both in terms of philosophy and practice, but I consider my mindfulness exercises to be largely non-denominational. Zazen was simply a convenient entry point for me."

Makoto gave him an intrigued look. "I've actually been interested in trying meditation since I read a study on the cognitive effects. The observed improvements to concentration and working memory would be enormously useful to my studies. Do you think you could teach me?"

Akira gave her a playful grin. "Someday you're going to absorb us all into the Makoto Studying Singularity."

Reo, on the other hand, was thrilled, and gave Akemi a affectionate gesture of "please vacate my lap," which she did with a laugh at his obvious excitement. He stood and grabbed a pillow from the chair, indicating for everyone who wanted to join to grab one of their own from the couch. 

When the four of them were seated in varying approximations of lotus position, Reo began in a voice that wouldn't be out of place in one of Makoto's lectures. "Begin by focusing on your posture and breathing. Back straight, chin tilted down slightly, pushing up with the back of your head, eyes neither fully open nor fully closed. Breathe deeply, but in a relaxed, comfortable way. As thoughts arise, don't try to push them away, but don't engage with them, simply allow them to exist, without judgment, without analysis, without distinction. Allow them to come in, then allow them to leave of their own volition. Let your mind become calm and clear as directed thought gradually recedes."

While Makoto had little difficulty following the simple physical instructions, she found allowing her thoughts to arise and leave without analysis much more difficult. Much of her nature arose from her active (maybe a bit overactive) mind, and that mind resisted being told to calm down and not judge like a challenge to its very being. As if to mock her attempts, the moment she tried to passively allow her thoughts to exist, she was flooded by thoughts to an overwhelming degree. In fairness, it had been a very exciting few days, if not the most eventful (at least compared to her Phantom Thief days).

Her rebellious mind immediately went to their date and the myriad feelings and memories it brought. She tried to allow those thoughts to exist and then leave, but it was hard not to become attached to how happy they all made her. The image of the sunlight shimmering on the water and the feel of Akira as they held their ethical discussion, the beauty of the wildflowers and the irresistible cuteness of Akira with hydrangeas over each ear. While the individual memories did eventually recede back into her subconscious of their own volition, the thought of Akira and all the feelings he caused in her remained.

As it became clear that Akira wasn't leaving her thoughts any time soon, she decided to simply allow those thoughts to exist naturally, without judgment or analysis. Or at least to try. Not analyzing was quite the challenge for her analytical mind, and she worried that she wasn't making much progress towards whatever mindset she was supposed to be attaining. Then she worried about how much she was worrying about it, until she realized that the worrying was having the exact opposite effect of what she wanted, and resolved not to worry (to the extent that was possible), and to allow her mind to do more or less as it pleased.

What her mind decided it wanted to do was to create what amounted to a 3D image of Akira's personality and the countless connections between her and him. His playful charm made up a large part, but his gentle understanding was just as important (him mentioning "gratitude for understanding" as one of the meanings of hydrangeas arose unbidden, and she wondered if he felt as strongly about her own attempts to understand him, enigmatic and multifaceted as he could sometimes be. Then she realized she was analyzing, and simply allowed the thought to exist), and his incredibly sweet romantic side (Akemi's proud smile when she told her she was glad to know she raised a gentleman arose, and she considered what being a gentleman meant and how Akira by now served practically as her definition of the term. Then she noticed that she was judging, and allowed the thought to exist). His exciting, adventurous nature tempered by his reliable, adaptable side, and the clever, slightly idiosyncratic positions he took in their numerous debates (although they rarely differed too substantially on anything significant, he was always ready to play devil's advocate and provide novel challenges to her views, perhaps sensing that she at times craved intelligent argumentation. She hadn't really thought about that aspect of it before, and found a faint smile sneaking onto her lips as she allowed that thought too to exist).

As she allowed her thoughts to arise and be part of the enduring image of Akira taking shape in her mind, she found that words were no longer necessary (wasn't language the first level of the distinction between ideas she was supposed to be transcending?). She let the concept of Akira's many sides reside within her as an amorphous, shifting presence (was this his infinite, subjective nature? Or maybe just her idea of him as Subject), and let her own sense of Self rest in comfortable relation to that idea. As the two ideas came into contact, without analysis, judgment, or distinction, she felt an incredible sense of oneness with him (the realization of how meditation could lead to universal Compassion for all sentient beings flitted into her consciousness, waved, and left without resistance). She felt as though she had arrived at something of an epiphany regarding what Reo had written about mutual desire between Subjects. Then she let that thought leave, and resumed her peaceful contemplation of her relationship with Akira.

When she started to feel like she was getting a sense of what this whole Non-Dualistic Thinking thing was about, a new voice arose unbidden within her consciousness. "Greetings, Priestess."

Makoto, surprised, responded internally. "Anat?"

Anat sent an amused vibration through Makoto's mind at her surprise. "Is it so unusual to hear my voice when looking into yourself? Remember that I am Thou and Thou art I."

Makoto, still a bit confused, conceded that point. "I suppose so, but I haven't heard your voice since the collapse of the Metaverse. I wasn't even sure if you were still a part of me."

Anat's presence radiated a comforting and reassuring sense. "I will always be a part of you. You have seldom needed my voice since the fall of Yaldabaoth, but my presence has been an aspect of your cognition since your Awakening. I made myself felt in pushing you to overcome your sadness and fight to free the Fool from his unjust imprisonment."

"Why do I hear you now then?"

Makoto could feel Anat's smile. "Because you have quieted your mind and looked inward. If ever you feel the need to seek counsel with me, look to your own innermost thoughts, for there I shall always be."

Makoto sent Anat a feeling of slight disappointment. "But I haven't managed to clear my mind. I can get thoughts to arise and leave without analysis, but the idea of Akira doesn't seem to be going anywhere."

Anat's playful laugh rang through her consciousness. "I know well that The Fool is the object of your meditation. You needn't chastise yourself for not immediately knowing how to empty your mind. And already you have come quite far in the contemplation of yourselves. As always, I am proud of you, Priestess."

Makoto, having now been made to blush by an aspect of her own consciousness, bashfully questioned her Persona. "Regarding Akira, what do you think about us? Maybe it's too trivial a matter to concern you, but do you have any advice going forward in our relationship?"

Anat's presence wrapped Makoto's mind in an excited and affectionate embrace. "Trivial? What matter could be more important? What I think is what you think, though you may not know or accept that you think it. But if you wish to hear, your bond with The Fool is powerful and enduring. Going forward, know that you both seek to explore and to understand each other, and that he will give to you that which you desire."

Knowing that this line of questioning was likely to only increase her blush, Makoto nonetheless asked. "But what do I desire?"

Anat whispered, with a smirk that consumed Makoto's thoughts. "Oh, my Priestess, you know that very well. All of him."

After ten minutes, Reo slapped his thighs and looked up. "Alright, that should be good for a start. You did very well for your first time, Makoto."

Makoto relaxed her posture (slightly), and gave him a confused look. "Are you sure? I don't feel like I was really able to empty my mind."

Reo shook his head with a chuckle. "Just sitting quietly is the practice. You were fidgeting a bit in the beginning, but after a few minutes you calmed down and were the picture of peaceful contemplation. You'll get better at assuming the proper mindset as you practice more."

Akira stretched and stood up, then offered a hand to Makoto and helped her up. He gave her a wink and a playful grin. "Don't worry, I couldn't really clear my mind either. Couldn't stop thinking about you."

Makoto blushed, but returned his grin. "It was the same with me. I could let go of individual thoughts, but you were very insistent on remaining in my mind. And... I heard Anat."

Akira gave her a surprised, thoughtful look. "For real? I mean, I guess it makes sense, but I never saw that coming. What did she say?"

Makoto blushed much harder at the memory of Anat's words. "She... approves of our relationship. And... she said that you would... give me what I desire..."

Akira leaned in with a broad grin and whispered to her. "I try."

 

Having completed their preliminary attempts at mindfulness, Makoto and Akira showered and checked for ticks. While they were both clear, they decided that since they were already in the shower, they might as well enjoy it. Akira was already developing excellent technique in their mutual washing, and quickly found the perfect balance between gentle and firm as he soaped Makoto up, putting his massage skills to good use as he kneaded some slight tightness out of her back, resulting in a relaxed, appreciative hum. While his manual dexterity wasn't what initially attracted her to him, it was something she found herself very thankful for as the more physical aspects of their relationship developed. Beyond even his impressive deftness, there was something about the way he touched her that invariably sent sparks throughout her body in a way she enjoyed very much.

Once Makoto was fully soaped up, it was her turn to return the favor, which she was already starting find very appealing as she got used to it. As she lathered him up, she took her time to appreciate the feel of him. While he had always been lean, and was beginning to develop some very aesthetically pleasing muscle tone, he managed to retain a softness that made him incredibly comfortable to cuddle with. Feeling both relaxed and playful, she took a few extra moments as she soaped up his member to give him a few gentle strokes, resulting in an extremely appreciative hum and an excited grin from him, in addition to the immediate reaction from the part of him that was very happy with the attention, and seemed to be intent on coming up to say hello and thank you. "Whatever it is that's got you feeling so frisky, we absolutely need to do it more often."

She gave him a playful smirk. "Maybe you're just starting to rub off on me."

He returned her smirk with a chuckle. "Not to be pedantic, but it seems like you're the one rubbing me off at the moment."

She laughed, with a bit of a blush, but gave his butt an affectionate squeeze with her free hand. "Cute. But maybe you should thank Anat. She told me we both want to... explore each other, and I'm beginning to feel like if we both want it, why should I hold back?"

After letting out a bit of a surprised squeak at being goosed (which Makoto found unbelievably cute), he brought up one hand to gently cup her cheek as he let his other hand slide down her back to cup her... other cheek. "Well, I'm not sure getting relationship advice from your inner self was the intended purpose of zazen, but the results speak for themselves. I'm certainly not complaining."

She stood on her toes to give him a soft but suggestive kiss as her hands continued their ministrations. "I'll show you what else she told me the next time we have a chance to... explore each other in depth."

He gave her a maximum strength smirk and an affectionate squeeze of his own. "It would appear to me we're in exactly the position to... explore each other in depth."

She thought about it for a moment, then gave him an enormously excited grin. "Alright. But this time, Mr. Gentleman Thief, my Fool comes first." She pulled him down into a deep and passionate kiss, then gave him a maximum strength smirk as she gracefully lowered herself to her knees. While not on the level of Queen on top, fellatio had proven not only to be much more enjoyable than she had been led to believe, but to have some extremely fascinating effects on Akira that she was keen to experiment with. And frankly, as much as modesty forbade her admitting it to herself normally, Anat's words were indeed Makoto's innermost thoughts regarding her relationship. She wanted to explore and understand him. All of him.

While easing him into it had worked very well for learning the ropes, Makoto had already picked up a few things from her first experiments that she knew consistently worked. She gave him one more smirk before giving the head a light kiss and then slipping it into her mouth. He looked as pleasantly surprised as she had ever seen him, and she let out a very amused hum at the normally unflappable Akira looking extremely flustered, which of course resulted in his entire body going very stiff, and then very limp (except for the part that was even more stiff), as he let out a moan that let her know that he was currently ascending to a fairly high heaven, which only made her giggle more at his over-the-top reaction, creating the exact cycle she had theorized. She began implementing a few of the other motions she had noted he especially liked. Anything involving the head seemed to melt him with little effort, and his look of astonishment as she lightly ran her tongue just below the head almost made her laugh out loud. Well, maybe if it was just with Akira, being a savant at this wouldn't be so bad.

The primary thing she was interested in experimenting with, though, was bringing him to climax, which his Code of Gentleman Thievery had precluded her from getting to last night (although the level of passion, already intense normally, that it aroused in Akira was perhaps the number one reason she was so interested in further experiments). She had, understandably, been thinking A Lot about the whole escapade all day, and both the effect of her efforts on Akira and the effect of his reaction on her had given her a newfound appreciation of his... honestly, at this point, cock felt more natural to think. It let her do such entertaining things to him, and then he could use it to do such incredible things to her, and she found herself thinking rather fondly of it. 

Her increased (even more than before) interest in his cock extended to an interest in at least trying the taste of his semen, which itself she found fascinating. Even more so than blowjobs, she had been led been society to view cum as dirty and degrading, but as Akira spilled his seed into her each night (and some mornings, and apparently some afternoon showers), she found the thought of him giving her a part of himself capable of creating new life both romantic and exciting. She would have to thank Takemi for prescribing her birth control the next time she saw her. Her giggle at being so bold as to even think that was what brought him over the edge. He gasped some kind of inaudible warning and quickly but gently brought his hands up to her face to remove her, but she slapped away his hand and shook her head with him still in her mouth. Two seconds later he came, and a hot flood of him filled her mouth.

She considered the taste of it. Savory... a bit salty... almost like some kind of broth... not her favorite, but not unpleasant. She rolled it around thoughtfully for a moment before looking up at Akira with a smirk and gulping twice (she had a few moments earlier in the day to fit in a bit of research, so she knew that was something most men liked, and frankly, even if it arrived a bit unconventionally, accepting that part of him into her still had a bit of an exciting element to it). She stood and gave him a satisfied grin as he regained his composure (and his bones). When he had collected himself, he gave her a look of intense gratitude and leaned down to give her an enormously appreciative kiss. Then he gave her that ecstatic smirk. "You got the drop on me, but now it's your turn, my Queen." 

He raised one finger and spun it in a circle, indicating for her to turn around. When she complied, after a few moments she felt his hands come to rest on her cheeks, giving them a playful squeeze before his thumbs gently spread them. She was a bit confused, but when she felt something very soft lightly graze her anus, her back arched momentarily as her eyes shot open in shock, before she too went boneless and let out an incredibly happy moan. Good lord, why on earth did that feel so good!? Akira had occasionally teasingly suggested trying analingus with her (apparently "ಠ_ಠ EAT HER ASS! ಠ_ಠ" was some kind of meme or something), but she had not yet allowed him to try it, concerned that while she too was fastidiously clean, she couldn't feel comfortable being clean enough for him to attempt that.

Their mutual washing somewhat changed the dynamic of that, though. He was as enthusiastic about cleaning her... down there as she was cleaning him (one of the main things that got Showering Together put on the Things To Do More Often list in the first place), and she was about as clean as she could be right now. Any concern she might have had about cleanliness, however, very quickly melted away along with the rest of her brain as the new sensation overwhelmed her with pleasure. She had never even thought to stimulate... back there before, and immediately found that she had apparently been missing out. Every soft touch of his tongue felt more incredible than she could explain (even given the cluster of nerves she knew to be the reason this was done in the first place).

It wasn't long before she put her own hands to work, one kneading her breast as the other caressed her... pussy seemed like a good enough word, trying to bring herself over the edge. The intense combination of sensations meant that didn't take long at all, and she let out a muted yelp as her body shuddered with an orgasm that left her legs trembling slightly. As Akira pulled back and stood up, she spun to face him with a look of astonishment, then pulled him down into an unbelievably appreciative kiss. "I'll thank Anat the next time I talk to her."

Akira gave her a satisfied grin. "Thank her for me, too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rated E for ಠ_ಠ EAT HER ASS ಠ_ಠ


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mom

Makoto and Akira returned downstairs, immaculately clean and very satisfied, to find Akemi preparing the aji she and Morgana had bought, while Reo chopped burdock root and carrots for a stir fry. Hearing them enter, Akemi gestured for Makoto to join her. "Would you like to help with the fish, dear? You seemed to enjoy them before, and I can show you my technique. Akira, could you start on the spinach gomaae?"

Both nodded, and Akira went to pull out the ingredients for the sesame dressing while Makoto joined Akemi, who had cleaned the fish and was sprinkling salt over them. "The important thing is to salt them for the right amount of time. Not long enough and they'll still have that fishy smell, too long and they'll dry out. For aji, about ten minutes should do it."

As Makoto helped salt the aji, she noted the harmonious way everyone contributed to the cooking. "It's wonderful how you all work together. At home I did most of the cooking, since Sis's job is very demanding."

Akemi gave her a satisfied nod as she lowered the first fish into the grill pan. "I'm happy to live with a couple men who both like to cook. None of that 'woman's place' nonsense for us. We usually either trade off meals we specialize in or work together."

Reo looked up from the vegetables with a grin. "She made it very clear early in our relationship that we were equal partners, which I've always found quite agreeable. I believe our shared views on balanced relationships have helped us remain close, even with as much as I have to travel for work."

Makoto looked over with a smile at Akira, who looked up from blanching the spinach and gave her a grin and a wink. "I feel the same way about us. I told Akira when we began dating that I want us to be equals, and he's been very supportive of that goal."

Akemi beamed with pride at her son before turning to Makoto. "I'm glad to hear that. A real man knows his lover is his partner, not his servant. That's rule one to a healthy, lasting relationship."

Makoto nodded, then thought for a moment. "Actually... I'm quite impressed with how close you are, given the amount of time you have to be apart. I'm a bit worried about keeping the passion alive when we have a long distance relationship, and I wonder if you have any other advice for making it work."

Akemi hummed thoughtfully. "Well, it can be tough, and it takes dedication on both of your parts, although you two certainly seem to be wonderfully committed to each other. I think one big thing is to make the most of the time you can be together, so you have good memories to hold you over. You seem to have figured that out already though." She gave her a suggestive wink, and Makoto couldn't help but blush at what she would think if she knew what they had been getting up to in the shower.

Reo nodded as he dropped the veggies into the chukanabe. "Another thing that helps is having a fulfilling hobby, especially if it's something that reminds you of your partner. I began writing because I missed our arguments when I was away, and wanted a way to collect my thoughts to share with her later."

Akemi chuckled in agreement. "Oh my, yes. I have entire sketchbooks filled with my Reo's handsome face. Aside from that, make use of any means to stay in touch. Back in the day it was pretty much just phone calls, but now you have texts and FaceTime and all sorts of technology to help you stay connected. Work out times when you're both free to talk. Remember that conversation is one of the most important parts of a relationship."

Makoto nodded with a grateful smile. "Thank you both. That all sounds like excellent advice. We've been keeping in touch, but setting up a video conference is a very good idea." 

Akemi gave her a wink and a full on Joker smirk. "And you can also use video conferencing to fulfill... other needs." She grinned at Reo, whose blush was intensifying. "Sometimes you just need to see that handsome face you love. Or... other aspects you've grown attached to."

At this point everyone but Akemi was blushing profusely, and she laughed in triumph as she checked the sear on the fish.

 

As Akira and Reo brought the side dishes out to the dining room and Makoto plated the aji, Akemi placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Makoto, dear, I didn't want to put you on the spot, but I know that it's quite the ordeal to come out here. Akira's planning a visit to Tokyo at the end of the summer, but maybe sometime we could come together for a weekend for you two to at least get a date in. Soji's converted a spare room into a guest bedroom, and he tells me he's kept your little love nest nicely maintained. And it's been far too long since we visited Soji, especially now that Futaba's getting better. Thanks to all of you, I'm guessing."

Makoto gave her a grateful and excited smile. "That sounds lovely, Akemi. Although it isn't too bad for me to get out here, at least once I'm out of Tokyo. There are some restaurants in the city I'd like to try with Akira, and it would give him a chance to catch up with the rest of our friends as well."

Akemi nodded with a grin. "Wonderful! Maybe we could arrange a get together with your family sometime. I bet you have lovely parents, to have raised such a great daughter."

Makoto looked away sadly. "I'm afraid that won't be possible. Both of my parents are... passed. My father was killed in the line of duty four years ago, and my mother died when I was very young. I... never really got to know her. My Sis is the only family I have left."

Akemi gave her a sympathetic frown and a comforting squeeze of her shoulder. "I'm so sorry for bringing up such a painful topic, dear." She thought for a moment, with a serious expression. "Makoto, I hope I'm not being too forward, but you have a mom now. I know we mothers-in-law to be have a bit of a bad reputation, but I mean it when I say you're exactly the type of woman I always hoped my Akira would fall in love with, and I love you nearly as much as I love him, which is about as much as I can love anyone. I'm not saying you have to call me 'mom,' but I am saying you can."

Makoto gave her a wide eyed look as grateful, happy tears began to form. "T-thanks, Mom." Her voice cracked a bit, but she was too overcome with emotion to care.

Akemi gave her a gentle, happy smile, then pulled her into an affectionate hug, rubbing comforting, motherly circles on her back. "You're always welcome, dear. Now, you two had better stick together. I'd hate to lose my daughter when I'm just getting to know her." She pulled back and gently wiped away Makoto's tears with her thumb. "Well, we should probably bring out the aji. Can't keep our boys waiting too long."

Makoto nodded silently, nothing else needing to be said. She took a deep breath to collect her emotions, then picked up her and Akira's plates and brought them out to the dining room.

 

"So, how was shopping with Mona?" Akira gave his mother an inquisitive grin as he broke off a piece of fish and brought it to his lips, letting out a satisfied hum at the taste.

Akemi chuckled and shot an affectionate glance at Morgana, who was busily devouring his dinner, clearly in ecstacy. "Oh, he's a delight. Once you know he has human intelligence, it's pretty easy to figure out what he's trying to convey most of the time. He's very expressive."

The cat in question momentarily paused in his feasting, giving Akemi a happy nod. "Mrs. Kurusu is really good at communicating! Yes or no questions were easy, so she figured out how to narrow down what I was saying that way. And she could tell which fish I liked just by how I looked at them."

Makoto giggled at him, then turned to Akemi with a smile. "He says you're a very good communicator, and picked up on his nonverbal cues well."

Akemi gave Morgana a very pleased smile. "Thank you, Morgana. I'm glad you think so. Communicating is an important skill as a teacher, and I've had a fair bit of practice with kids who aren't exactly talkative. This was a bit of a new experience, but as strange as it sounds, it kind of made sense once we were doing it."

 

Summer moon, flood plains  
Meant and believed all you said  
Confirmed with a kiss

Your calm, loving eyes  
As the cool evening breeze  
Embraced us gently

Countless stars shining  
Lesson in astronomy  
Lying on the grass

A summer shower  
When I said I love you as  
We ran in the rain

Trees enjoying rain  
New paths emerge from the mists  
When I made you blush

Asleep on the couch  
A beautiful painting of  
A shared, pleasant dream

Arms tight around me  
Feel safe and comfortable  
On a rural road

Friendly old maple  
Overlooking seas of grass  
Invites us to lunch

Sunlight on the lake  
A discussion of ethics  
As you held me close

Above unknown depths  
You make me comfortable  
Curious nibbles

Hydrangea blossoms  
As far as the eye can see  
And on both your ears

 

Makoto had done as well in her lessons on haiku during her literature classes as she did in basically every subject, and Ms. Kawakami had complimented her style several times, but she had never thought of it as something to do outside of her official studies. Reo's advice to find a hobby that reminded her of Akira had given her an idea though, and while she did often think of him when she trained, she wanted to try her hand at doing something creative that she could share with him.

As Akira washed the dishes (she was pretty sure he threw that game of janken), she quickly grabbed the nicest of the empty notebooks and pens she had brought, had a seat on the couch, and began writing down some of her favorite images and memories and feelings from her trip in poetic form. Although a bit nontraditional in content, she found herself rather liking the imagery, and appreciated the brevity of the format and the way it allowed her to condense some very intense and complex thoughts into a few short lines.

While she was feeling somewhat attached to her work, that didn't exactly mean she was comfortable enough with its quality to share it with anyone else, especially Akira (whom it was ultimately for). Were her images and the feelings those gestures evoked actually something of artistic merit, or was she simply blinded by her own affection for them? (Frankly, she was well versed enough in literature to know it was pretty good, if she was being honest, but was it Akira Good?) She would need outside criticism to verify its value.

As she gave her poems a conflicted look, Akemi entered with her little tablet and sank comfortably into her armchair. Seeing that Makoto was taking some issue with whatever was written in that nice little notebook, she gave her an accessible, affectionate smile. "Diary?"

Makoto let out a quiet squeak and looked up at Akemi with wide eyes. "A-actually... it's some poetry. What you and your husband said about having a fulfilling hobby gave me the idea to try writing some for Akira. I... never really considered myself to be the creative type, but I find that haiku as a format comes surprisingly naturally to me. Perhaps it's the mathematical aspect of the syllabic pattern, or the concept of expressing expansive ideas through a single image. I'm not sure if I'm content with what I've done so far, though."

Akemi's smile became significantly more excited, and she held out her hand expectantly. Makoto nervously passed the notebook to her, and her eyes lit up as she began to read. "Oh, Makoto, these are marvelous! Akira is going to absolutely love them! They're wonderfully intimate and very sweet. In fact, if you don't mind, I'd like to try my hand at painting a couple of these. How's your calligraphy? We can make it a collaborative effort as a gift for him! Oh, Akira must have looked adorable with hydrangeas behind his ears."

Makoto giggled and pulled out her phone, showing Akemi the pictures of her and Akira in the hydrangea forest with their adornments. Akemi let out a musical laugh, then gave Makoto a knowing smile. "Now that looks to me like a couple who really make each other happy. Those smiles are about the sweetest thing I've ever seen. And you both look incredibly cute."

Makoto blushed but gave her a very pleased smile. "Thank you, Akemi. It's almost unbelievable how cute Akira can be. And I'd really like to thank you for raising such a gentleman. Admittedly, he can be a bit of a handful with the teasing, but if I'm being honest, I love it. He's quite the charmer."

Akemi gave her a contented nod, then a wink and a smirk. "Well thank you. I've always tried to raise a son who knew how to treat a lady, but I think you may be more responsible for his charm than me. He was always very sweet, but before Tokyo he was a bit shy. He had a few friends, but mostly kept to himself and his books. You brought out something in him, and I was very pleasantly surprised at how much he's come out of his shell." 

She let out a very amused laugh. "And oh lord, don't I know he can be a handful with the teasing. He's become quite the joker."

Makoto matched her laugh. "Joker was his codename, and I believe he grew into the role. His time as our leader has done wonders for his interpersonal skills, and he even befriended Toranosuke Yoshida, who gave him some lessons on public speaking."

Akemi gave her a contented hum. "Oh yes, he mentioned he's considering studying politics, to provide better leadership than Shido. I told him 'Akira, that's a wonderful goal, but you'll need to keep up with your studies and get into your first choice school.' He told me he knows, and he's trying to stay at the top of his class to get into Tokyo University with you. He was always a good student, but you really lit a fire under him."

As Makoto beamed proudly at Akemi, Reo entered with a partially full notebook, looking very content about dinner. He sank into his armchair (perhaps wanting to digest before resuming their shared seating arrangements) and cast a curious glance at the unfamiliar Buchi-kun notebook in Akemi's hands. Akemi turned to Makoto with a smile and a questioning look, nodding at the poems and the phone, and Makoto gave her a slightly bashful nod back. 

Akemi passed the poems to Reo, who nodded with an approving hum as he began to read. "These are excellent, Makoto. You have a fine eye for imagery and an excellent mind for ideas. There isn't nearly enough romantic haiku being produced these days. I should introduce you to Kaede sometime, maybe you could contribute to one of her anthologies." He chuckled and gave her a grin. "Akira must love it. Who wouldn't love to be written about like that?"

Makoto blushed deeply at the compliment. "A-actually, I haven't shown them to him yet. I've just begun trying to write poetry as a hobby. I thought about what you said, and this felt like the proper format to express some of the things I feel about him. You... both really think he'll like it?"

Akemi and Reo shared an amused look before turning to Makoto with soft laughs. Reo handed the notebook back to Akemi, who handed it back to Makoto. "I think any man who knows what's good would love to have his girlfriend write such beautiful poetry about him."

Akemi passed Makoto's phone, with her favorite picture of the two of them with flowers in their hair, to Reo, who let out a very amused laugh. "Ha! Well if that isn't the face of a man who knows he's incredibly lucky. I must say, you two make a very cute couple."

The boy himself returned bearing a tray with four mugs, set it on the coffee table, and took his seat next to Makoto. Akemi stretched and stood, taking her mug and tousling Reo's hair as she passed, indicating for him to join her in attending to business elsewhere. Reo returned Makoto's phone with a smile, took his mug, and followed her. 

As Makoto and Akira took their first sips of the relaxing after-dinner blend, he glanced curiously at Makoto's notebook. "Studying?"

Unsure how to provide a proper introduction to her poetry collection, Makoto instead simply opened the notebook and passed it to him nervously, still a bit worried about his reaction in spite of his parents' assurances. When he realized what it was, he gave her an excited and affectionate smile, then handed the notebook back to her and pulled them together (careful not to spill a drop of their coffee) into cuddling position 4 (cuddling with coffee and a book). 

He gave her neck a very happy and playful nuzzle with his cheek and gave her the intimate half-whisper he knew her to be quite fond of. "Read it to me. I want to hear your words in your beautiful voice, with your tone and cadence."

As she indulged him in a private recital, using a very intimate variation of her Reading Aloud To Akira voice, he said nothing until she was done, but made his approval known in playful little kisses and nibbles on her neck and ear that were rather distracting but felt unbelievably good.

When she finished, she turned sheepishly to him. "So... what do you think?"

He gently but passionately pulled her into a kiss that could only be described as indescribable, even by Akira's high standards. When they finally had to come up for air, he gave her a breathless but enormously happy grin. "I think I need to up my game."

 

Pi! Pi! Pi!

After a long time spent enjoying one another's company, Makoto and Akira were brought back to earth by the sound of his phone, and he partially disentangled himself from her to be able to check the message. "Want to see a movie with Chie and Yukiko in Okina City?" He gave her a knowing smirk. "Like The Trial Of A Dragon is showing."

Makoto's eyes shot open in excitement as she sat up and disentangled herself the rest of the way from Akira. "The one about the immigrant family whose Kung Fu dojo defends their neighborhood against an ambitious Yakuza clan!? When, where, and how are we getting there?"

Akira chuckled as he sent a response. "I'll take that as a yes. Yukiko will swing by in about 15 minutes and we can all drive down together."

Makoto and Akira quickly made themselves presentable, and soon Yukiko's car pulled up, Chie giving them an even more excited wave than usual. When they hopped into the back seat, Chie and Yukiko shared a conspiratorial grin, then Chie, vibrating with energy, burst out. "Aaaaah I can't wait! The anticipation is gonna kill me! C'mon, let's tell 'em now!" 

Yukiko gave her a highly amused giggle. "Alright. Do you want to tell them or do you want me to tell them."

Chie shot her hand up. "I'll do it!" She turned to Makoto and Akira with a devious grin. "Sooooo, we wanted to do something special for you guys because you're awesome and adorable. We figure you two must be going nuts not being able to... y'know, with Akira's parents in the house, so..." She pulled out a rather ornate room key and held it up like a powerful magic artifact. "Honey. Moon. Suite."


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Relax Gel

Makoto and Akira stared, wide eyed, at the key in Chie's hand, then turned to each other. He gave her an extremely playful smirk and she bit her lip in excited anticipation, then they returned their attention to Chie with very grateful smiles. Makoto nodded with a deep blush. "That sounds wonderful. Thank you both so much. Akira's parents have been... quite supportive of us enjoying ourselves..."

"I don't think my mom has looked so proud of me since the first time I came at the top of my class on an exam." Akira interjected with a roll of his eyes.

Makoto giggled and leaned in to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Yes, she's very happy with how happy you make me. But we have been trying not to be too conspicuous, which has limited some of the things I'd like to try."

Akira blushed, with an audible gulp. "Y-you've been holding back?"

She gave him an enormously powerful smirk and whispered in his ear. "I've been a bit reluctant to try the things I think will have me screaming your name."

As Akira reached Makoto levels of blushing, Chie and Yukiko cheered from the front seat. Chie dropped the key into Makoto's hand and gave her a suggestive wink. "Hell yeah! I knew this was a good idea! You two get down with your bad selves."

Yukiko let out a musical, knowing giggle. "The Honeymoon Suite is its own small building, separated from the normal rooms by a sizable garden. It was designed to provide privacy to the married couple, so by all means indulge yourselves to your hearts' content."

Makoto and Akira shared excited smiles and snuggled closer together. Chie turned back around and let out an impressed hum. "But man, I never knew Akira's parents were so open minded about that type of stuff. Although I guess they were always pretty progressive. They never gave the two of us any crap about... y'know."

Yukiko nodded and hummed in agreement. "Oh yes. Most of the people around here have gotten used to us by now, but we did get some dirty looks when we first began openly expressing affection. The Kurusus were always very kind and friendly to us though."

She moved one hand from the wheel to rest on Chie's. "Thankfully, Chie's parents were very supportive of us from the start. I've known them practically my entire life and we always got along well." She giggled and glanced over at Chie with a smile. "I've often suspected that your mother knew about us before either of us realized our own feelings."

Chie turned her hand under Yukiko's and intertwined their fingers. "She told me she could tell we were in love, and that was what she always wanted for me." She turned away with a deep blush. "And... She said she was very proud of... how happy I made you."

Yukiko's lip curled up into an affectionate smirk, then her brow furrowed and she let out a pained sigh. "Sadly, my own parents were not nearly so understanding. They can be quite... traditional, and were not at all pleased to find out that their daughter is gay. They eventually came around for the most part, but I ended up staying with Chie's family for several weeks when living with them became... intolerable."

Chie shook her head with a frustrated grunt. "That sucked so much. I hated seeing you so down." She squeezed Yukiko's hand. "We made the best of it though."

Yukiko's smile returned, and she squeezed Chie's hand back. "That we did. I don't think my parents fully thought out what the result of driving me directly into my lover's arms would be. As painful as dealing with my family was, I wouldn't trade that period of exploration for the world."

Makoto frowned sympathetically. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. I hope your relationship with your parents has improved since then."

Yukiko shrugged, but flashed an appreciative smile at her in the rearview mirror. "It's gotten better over time. We still don't see eye to eye on many things, but we're no longer openly antagonistic. I believe they realized that nothing they said would change who I am."

Makoto hummed thoughtfully. "I hope Sis doesn't have a problem with... you know."

Akira gave her a slightly surprised look as Chie and Yukiko nodded, then he shrugged and wrapped his arm comfortably around her shoulder. "I think Sae would probably prefer if you exclusively liked girls. Doesn't she call sperm 'the dreamkiller'?"

Makoto giggled and leaned in to him. "You're probably right. Sis... doesn't exactly have the highest opinion of men in general, although she's warmed up to you quite a bit."

Chie barked out a laugh. "Ha! Same."

Yukiko nodded with a giggle. "Agreed, same." She gave Akira a playful glance in the mirror. "Present company excluded, of course."

Chie chuckled in agreement. "Yeah, no kidding. Akira's one of the nicest guys I know, and not in an 'I'm being nice to you, you owe me sex' way. Hey Akira, you ever think about starting a school to teach guys not to be jerks?"

Akira blushed as Makoto gave him some playful, appreciative kisses on the neck. "I think my mom's already on it. She says one big thing she tries to instill in her students is being empathetic and respectful, especially for the boys to respect the girls."

Makoto gave him an affectionate giggle as she snuggled closer to him. "Producing gentlemen seems to be her calling."

 

"How did a couple septuagenarians take out a dozen of your best enforcers!?"

"You didn't see them! It was like, Kung Fu Demon Grandma!"

"Bastard! I'm sick of your pathetic excuses! You've failed the family, you know what you must do!"

Chie leaned over and whispered to Makoto. "Why is he cutting off his finger?"

Makoto whispered back, without taking her eyes off the screen. "It's the Yakuza code of honor. If someone fails their clan, they have to show remorse by cutting off one of their own fingers."

Chie turned back to the screen with wide eyes. "Whoa, that's fucked up."

Both of them were enjoying the film enormously, leaning forward in their seats with their fists clenched for the over the top fight scenes (especially the one with the musicians). Akira and Yukiko were having fun too, and occasionally turned to share an amused grin at how cute their girlfriends were when they got so excited.

Granted, the specific elements that appealed to each of them were somewhat different. Makoto found the internal politics of the Yakuza and the contrast between their self-proclaimed code of honor and the honor of the Li family fascinating. Chie found the blend of traditional and modern in the Kung Fu training scenes and the physical comedy awesome. Both found the fight scenes riveting, and when the hapless Yakuza grunt who turned against his clan and became a Kung Fu master defeated the almost inhuman contract killer hired by the clan with a falling punch from a hundred feet up, both cheered quietly.

"God's Hand!"

"Fist of Justice!"

"Wait, 'Fist of Justice'? That's so awesome!"

As they left the theater, Makoto and Chie held a hushed but excited discussion of the film as Akira and Yukiko followed behind them, giggling.

"One thing I don't understand is how being beaten nearly to death caused him to suddenly become a Kung Fu master."

Chie hummed thoughtfully. "I dunno, maybe getting the crap beat out of him like released his Chi or something."

Yukiko, noticing one of the stores outside the theater, scurried up to them and put an excited hand on Chie's shoulder. "Ooh, let's get icecream!"

Makoto thought about it, with a conflicted hum. "I'm not sure if I should. I haven't been as diligent about diet and exercise as I would have liked over the past few days."

Akira strolled up and wrapped an arm around her waist, playfully squeezing her side. "You look as amazing as always. I think you can afford to indulge yourself a bit."

She leaned into him with an appreciative smile. "Alright. I guess we'll just have to burn some calories together later."

He blushed, but chuckled and gave her an affectionate kiss on the cheek. "That sounds like an excellent plan, my Queen."

 

As they waited for their orders, Akira stepped aside for a moment to call his parents and let them know that he and Makoto would be sleeping over at the inn. Makoto quickly pulled up a page about one of her ideas for the night and scanned the information with a deep blush. Noticing the curious looks Chie and Yukiko were giving her, she turned her phone to show them, and they both gave her massive, approving grins.

When Akira returned, Makoto quickly pocketed her phone. He raised an eyebrow, and she gave him a suggestive smile. "It's a surprise. You'll see soon enough."

Their ice cream arrived, and their initial tastes resulted in a chorus of contented hums. Chie traded a bite of her cookie dough for one of Yukiko's chocolate chip cherry, and Akira offered Makoto a taste of his black raspberry for one of her double chocolate chunk. All were delicious, and Makoto decided that being a bit lax in her caloric intake was worth it for the occasional special treat.

Yukiko, after savoring a bite, addressed them in a hushed tone. "We explained the situation to Kanji, and he said he should be available tomorrow to discuss further."

Chie nodded in agreement. "We asked if he wanted to come tonight, but he didn't want to be a fifth wheel on our double date."

Yukiko brought a finger to her chin in thought. "He did bring up one important point: who else should we tell? Are we going to bring both of our teams in on the secret?"

Makoto and Akira shared a look as they both considered it, then they nodded in affirmation. Makoto turned to Chie and Yukiko. "I think so. I believe all of ours can be trusted to be discreet. As far as your team, we'll leave that to your judgment."

Chie hummed in thought. "Well, Yosuke and Teddie are living together in the city now, but we can try to get a hold of them. Rise's on tour, so she's gonna be real busy for the next couple months. We should definitely try to get Naoto. Kanji's closest to them, so we can have him give them a call." A flash of anger crossed her face. "And I don't think any of us kept Yu's number."

Akira gave Makoto a questioning look, and she gave him a subtle shake of her head. Don't press. If Chie wants to tell you, she will.

When they finished their icecream, Makoto stopped in at a drugstore on the walk back to Yukiko's car, ostensibly to pick up spare toothbrushes to use at the inn. While there, she picked up a couple other things she would need for later, willing her blush down before returning to the rest, to maintain the element of surprise.

 

Makoto let out a deep breath as she finished getting ready in the bathroom. While she was sure she wanted to try what she planned to do, she was still nervous. Over the past couple days she had pushed her relationship with Akira from a comfortable norm into all sorts of new territory, and while everything they had tried so far had been wonderful, she was about to make another major leap into the unknown.

As she entered the bedroom, Akira gave her an excited, playful grin from the enormous, very comfortable bed in the honeymoon suite. "So, where do you want to start tonight?"

She sauntered over to him with a powerful smirk and planted her hands on the edge of the bed to lean down and whisper intimately in his ear. "Tonight... I'll leave the back entrance open."

Akira's eyes shot open and he gave her gave her a very excited but very nervous look, blushing deeply. "F-for real? Y-you're sure you want to do... that?"

She gave him a suggestive kiss, then pulled the bottle of lube she bought at the drugstore out of her bag. "I'm very sure."

As she passed the bottle to Akira, she noticed that his hands were shaking. She gave him a concerned frown. "If you don't want to, it's fine. I just thought you might like it..."

He shook his head with a nervous chuckle. "I-it's not that. I'd definitely like to try. It's just... I don't want to hurt you."

She gave him an affectionate smile and cupped his cheek, looking lovingly into his eyes. "I trust you. Just take it slow. I'll let you know if anything doesn't feel right."

When they had both undressed, she climbed onto the bed on her elbows and knees, looked back over her shoulder with a grin, and wiggled her butt invitingly at him. For a moment, Akira looked like he was about to faint, but he gave her a determined nod, then spread her cheeks and ran his tongue in a circle around her hole, eliciting a very satisfied moan as she sank her head into the pillow. Clearly he knew this was a good way to help her relax, which they both knew would be necessary for what was coming.

The surprising amount she had enjoyed him doing this in the shower earlier had, in point of fact, been exactly what gave her the idea to try anal in the first place. He had pretty clearly demonstrated that her behind was both very sensitive, and that she enjoyed having it stimulated enormously. This had led her to theorize what other types of stimulation she might like back there, and the obvious answer was that a certain part of him that she was quite fond of seemed just right to provide for further experiments.

As for Akira, he had made his pro-butt stance known on many occasions. While he was never hesitant about complimenting any part of her, her behind was pretty clearly a personal favorite of his, as far as physical characteristics went (it was, in fact, number three on his list of Favorite Physical Characteristics, after her smile and eyes). She had at times worried that it was a bit... well, big, especially compared to her otherwise slender frame, but he insisted that it was perfect, as far as he was concerned.

Well, she was fully ready to give it to him now. She deduced that a part of her that he loved and that she loved to have stimulated should result in a very enjoyable experience for both of them. While her oral experiments had each been countered by Akira's own spontaneous ripostes, this was a bit of a power play that she didn't expect him to be able to top (and if he could top it, that would be pretty good too).

Having brought her to a satisfactory state of bonelessness, Akira put a dollop of lube on his finger and softly rubbed it on her anus, coaxing her to open up until he was able to slowly and gently slide his finger in up to the first knuckle. Her breath hitched and she instinctively tightened around the intruder, and he immediately stopped and leaned forward to plant a soft kiss on her shoulder. "Do you want me to stop?"

She shook her head into the pillow with an intense hum. "Nnnnnnooo. Keep goingggg. Just, go slooow."

He gave her a series of affectionate kisses up her neck. "Okay. Just try to relax. I want to loosen you up enough that it won't hurt when I... you know."

She nodded into the pillow as her hands balled into fists in the sheets. "Mmmmmhmmmm."

As Akira resumed slowly stretching her with his finger, Makoto developed a newfound appreciation for just how gentle he could be. She had always been amazed at how he could drive her wild with the softest touch, but now that he was dealing with an extremely sensitive part of her, he was really showing how delicate of a touch he had, and how responsive to her reactions he was. Each time she tensed up, he would pull back until she could relax again, then patiently, gradually work forward a bit.

When she began to get used to the new sensations enough that she was no longer constantly clenching around his finger and could begin to relax, it started feeling really good. Really, really good. The gentle pushing and stretching against the ring of muscle and the dense cluster of nerves was sending some very exciting tingles throughout her body, and it didn't hurt that he continued to plant soft, comforting kisses on her back, her shoulder, her neck, anywhere he could reach from his current position. 

Once he was satisfied that she was adequately prepared to take his cock, Akira slowly pulled out his finger, and she let out a confused hum at the sudden vacancy. Makoto raised her head up from the pillow and looked back at him, and he leaned forward to give her a sweet and loving kiss. "Was that okay?"

She nodded with a relaxed smile. "It felt lovely. You're so wonderfully gentle, and you always seem to know how to make me comfortable."

He smiled back and leaned in for another soft kiss. "I'm glad. Alright, are you ready for me to put it in?"

Her smile became much more excited and she nodded again. "I think so. Just be gentle."

She laid her head back on the pillow, and he spread more lube on his cock, then she felt the tip rest against her, and he slowly, slowly, slooowly pushed it in. In spite of their preparation, he initially met with significant resistance, as he was requesting entry for a part quite a bit bigger than his finger. He gently rubbed her hip to remind her to relax her muscles, and she took a deep breath and thought about how comfortable and relaxed she had felt holding his hand as they floated together on the lake. As her muscles calmed down, the head slipped in, and both of them let out astonished gasps.

Oh god! Ohgodohgodohgod! The tingles his finger had elicited were replaced by an overwhelming electric current running from the ring of muscle being stretched just a bit beyond what was immediately comfortable to the rest of her body. Her hands clutched the sheets as she buried her face in the pillow to muffle a cross between a moan and a squeak. "AaaaaaAAAKIRAAAAaaa!"

His hand continued to reassuringly massage her side as he half whispered, his voice strained from the sensations running through his own body. "Aaaaare you okay? Iiiis it too much?"

She shook her head quickly. "Nonononooo! Iiiiit feels, oh god, it feels amaaaaaaazing! Fuuuuck, Akiraaa, don't stop! Give it to me! I want you! I waaaant you so baaaad!"

He leaned down to plant another comforting kiss between her shoulders, then gently rocked his hips forward, slowly, slowly, slooowly pushing deeper into her. She screamed into the pillow as her entire body shuddered with unimaginable pleasure. When he reached the point of resistance, he slowly rocked his hips back, and she let out an extremely pleased hum at the lessened pressure. Then he slowly rocked forward a bit more, resulting in an ecstatic yelp.

As she began to get comfortable with the intense sensations, Makoto started to push her butt back onto him, granting him permission to go deeper and faster. He obliged, picking up the pace while remaining mindful of her comfort and paying attention to her responses. Her responses were, primarily, a crescendo of moans and hums as her body tensed with mounting pleasure, until finally she let out one last scream into the pillow as her body shook hard and she pulled forward and collapsed onto her belly on the bed, panting heavily.

She rolled onto her side and looked back at him with an adoring smile, still breathing heavily, her face flushed deeply. Akira bent down and they shared an intensely passionate kiss, then paused for a moment to look blissfully into the love in one another's eyes. Then Makoto glanced down and noticed that he was still hard as a rock. "Ready for more?"

He gave her an enormously excited grin. "Are you?"

She reached a hand back and tentatively probed herself with a finger, testing her sensitivity, then nodded with a suggestive smile. She pulled one leg up and forward to grant him access, and he lay down behind her and nuzzled into her neck as he positioned himself to continue.

They ended up experimenting with several other positions. While everything felt incredible, they both especially liked it with both of them lying on their sides, which let them share affectionate little kisses and caresses. When Makoto pushed Akira onto his back and climbed on top, riding him like Johanna as she leaned down and passionately kissed his shoulder, his neck, and his lips, he couldn't hold out any longer, and they both came like a thunderbolt, collapsing onto the bed together, exhausted, giggling tiredly.

After cleaning each other in a very enjoyable shower, they cuddled together on the bed, Makoto resting her head on Akira's chest as he rested his chin on her head, happy to just rest together, enormously content, occasionally leaning in to give each other affectionate, adoring kisses.

As she listened to Akira's heartbeat, Makoto let out a very happy sigh. "I hope we never stop learning."

Akira tilted his head forward to kiss her hair. "Me too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chie and Yukiko's backstory is based in part on A Barrel In the Sea. If you're into Twin Dragons, I highly recommend it.
> 
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/180838/chapters/265975
> 
> And yes, the film they go to is Kung Fu Hustle but set in Japan.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Compliments and complements

Makoto awoke the next morning in the enormous, very comfortable bed in the honeymoon suite, a bit sore (in retrospect, she may have gotten a little overly enthusiastic towards the end the previous night. But god, was it ever worth it!), but supremely relaxed. She rolled over to face Akira with a contented sigh, finding him still asleep (she had, in fairness, given him quite the workout, and they were both pretty tuckered out by the end).

She took the opportunity to appreciate how beautiful he was. He looked so peaceful and happy, with an adorable little smile on his face (she couldn't help but quietly giggle at how innocent he looked, considering everything they had been getting up to). It was almost unfair how pretty his eyelashes were, and how attractive and kissable his lips looked, parted slightly as he breathed softly and evenly (she leaned up to give him a few gentle kisses, confirming their kissability. As if there were any doubt).

She tightened her arm affectionately around him as she nuzzled into his chest and snuggled up closer, turning her mind towards their latest experiment. While she had anticipated them enjoying themselves, she was kind of in awe of just how enjoyable the experience had been. What would the Old Makoto think of what New Makoto was getting up to? Before Akira, she had barely even thought about relationships, let alone sex, and now here she was, not only trying out all sorts of exciting new things, but loving both the sense of discovery and the sensations themselves. Old Makoto probably wouldn't know what to think.

Good lord, what would Sis think if she knew what her little sister was doing? For Akira's sake, she hoped she would never find out. Admittedly, her reaction to Makoto becoming sexually active had been far more understanding than she had expected (mostly, she promised dire consequences for Akira in the event that he got her pregnant before she was able to accomplish her educational and career goals. Well, this was one way to avoid that, she thought with a giggle), but she had warned Makoto not to make things too easy for him, reasoning that most men would take advantage if allowed to become too comfortable, and she had practically been throwing herself at him.

Was she being too easy? They had been having an awful lot of sex lately, and not only was she perfectly content to perform fellatio on him, but she enthusiastically suggested anal (and liked it. A Lot). The rumor mill at Shujin condemned girls as "sluts" for far less. Ann had been condemned as such for being the unwilling victim of Kamoshida's advances (and no doubt also out of jealousy for her looks). Realizing how offensively absurd that standard was, she cast aside those worries. Fuck what Shujin would think. They were the same assholes who spent a year hating Akira for a crime he didn't commit. She and Akira were enjoying themselves tremendously, and that was what mattered.

Really, the whole concept of sluttiness was a load of toxic, misogynistic garbage, now that she actually thought about it. Sure, there were downsides and risks associated with promiscuity, regardless of gender, but the double standard of calling promiscuous men "players" while women were "sluts" was blatantly obvious. Often, actual promiscuity didn't even enter into it; any hint that a girl was sexually active, or even just too interested in sex (or interested in less... conventional types of sex, as she was quickly finding herself to maaaybe be), was generally enough to be so labeled. She only wanted Akira (and maybe Hifumi, but she considered that something of a special case, although now that she thought about it, maybe her considering that a special case was exactly the type of... unconventional interests that she was concerned about), but even she had worried that the level of her desire and her willingness to indulge it were somehow improper or wrong.

Ultimately, it seemed to be a means of policing women's bodies and desires. Wanting sex was supposed to be a "man thing," while women indulged men's desires in exchange for financial security or companionship or proximity to power or some token gestures of affection, maintaining a transactional relationship. Women actually wanting and enjoying sex was a threat to a power structure that used sex as a motivator for men and offered women as a prize for success. What was even more frustrating was the degree to which many girls seemed willing to participate in a system that actively devalued their own desires. Well, to hell with all that! She loved sex with Akira, she vastly preferred their relationship of mutual enjoyment, and she had no interest in changing that based on societal expectations.

Frankly, while she appreciated Sis's concern, she didn't think that making things too easy for Akira was much of a problem. He had, for the entirety of their relationship, and especially once they began making love, been a perfect gentleman, always enthusiastic to try anything, but always allowing her to progress things at her own pace. She thought of how cute he looked, blushing and worrying that he might accidentally hurt her. He had been so excited to try the back entrance, but his concern for her comfort was foremost in his mind. And he had translated that concern into patience and gentleness that let her relax and ease into it in a way that made it possible for her to fully enjoy herself.

If she was making things easy for him, it was in large part because of how much pleasure he enthusiastically gave her. She noted with a blush that, of the many new things they had tried so far, the only thing not initiated by her was him eating her ass. He was such a wonderfully giving lover, and she was more than willing to give him all of her as well. While sex was never the most important part of their relationship (simply being together, supporting one another, sharing their lives and thoughts and dreams was what really meant the world to her), as a physical manifestation of their shared desire to make each other happy, it was a part of their relationship that she was very pleased with.

She hugged him tighter as she thought fondly of how good he made her feel, and he opened his eyes and gave her an affectionate smile. "Good morning."

She leaned up and gave him a soft but passionate kiss. "Good morning. I love you."

His smile widened significantly, his still sleepy eyes lit up, and he leaned down to give her another kiss. "I love you too." He blushed lightly with a slightly nervous chuckle. "How does your, um... butt feel?"

She giggled and blushed back. "A little tender, but I think that's on me for getting a bit too into it..." She gave him a playful grin "...in the end." She snuggled further into him and planted a few light kisses on his bare chest. "You were wonderful. I never tought... that could feel so good. And you seemed to enjoy yourself as well."

He pulled her into a loving embrace. "That is a massive understatement. It felt... indescribable. It was like... so much power focused around me, holding me tighter than I ever imagined, but still soft and sensitive and vulnerable." He leaned forward and lightly nibbled her ear, resulting in a contented sigh and hum. "I always knew your butt was perfect, but even I never thought it could feel that amazing."

She smiled fondly, then glanced bashfully up at him. "You don't think it's... weird, do you? That I like it so much, I mean."

Recognizing that this was not a rhetorical question, he thought for a moment, giving her a look that let her know he was thinking seriously. Then he shook his head with a warm smile. "I don't think so. A bit kinky, maybe, but I think it would be weirder to have no discernable kinks." 

He pulled her closer and whispered. "To tell the truth, I've wanted to try... that, for a long time, but I wasn't comfortable asking because I didn't want you to feel pressured to try something you weren't comfortable with. And I didn't want you to think I was weird for wanting to try it. So if it is weird, we can be weird together."

When he put it that way, being a little bit kinky with Akira actually sounded quite satisfactory. Thinking about it for a few moments more, she realized that it sounded like just about the most enjoyable thing she could imagine. She planted a few appreciative kisses on his collarbones, then looked up, her eyes shining as they locked with his. "I wish I had words to express how happy you make me."

His eyes and his smile were vulnerable, warm, open, and unmistakably full of love. "If it's anywhere near as happy as you make me, then I can't believe that I could be so lucky as to make the woman I love more than anything that happy."

He was way too good at this, the charming bastard.

 

"Those are cattleya orchids. They represent love, beauty, strength, and mature charm."

Makoto and Akira meandered through the rather impressive garden separating the honeymoon suite from the rest of the rooms, while Akira rattled off information acquired working at Rafflesia. Makoto was walking a bit funny (going for Queen On Top the first time they tried anal may have been getting ahead of themselves). Akira, noticing her discomfort, gave her a sheepish, apologetic look, and she giggled and stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek and whisper in his ear. "Worth it."

He blushed and grinned, still a bit sheepish (and criminally cute). "Fun fact: the word orchid comes from the Greek orkhis, or testicle, based on the shape of its root." 

Makoto snorted a laugh and gave him an incredulous look. "For real? Although, thinking about it, flowers are the reproductive organs of plants." She tapped her chin in thought for a moment, then began to giggle. "I don't know what's funnier: that plants are flashing their genitals at us, or that we find it so attractive."

Akira laughed, then gave the flowers a thoughtful look. "I dunno, they're pretty hot. If I were single, I could totally see asking out a cattleya orchid."

They both laughed harder, then Makoto gave him an exasperated sigh. "Okay, Georgia O'Keefe. They certainly are beautiful. It's quite fascinating that evolutionary adaptations to attract pollinating insects could become such a cornerstone of our concept of beauty."

As they continued their very pleasant garden tour, Yukiko emerged from the main building, wearing a simple red sun dress and a giant floppy hat and carrying a watering can and a pair of garden shears. When she saw the young couple, she waved the shears over her head and skipped over, greeting them with a smug, knowing grin. "Good morning. I hope your room ass-ignment was conducive to the *snrk* anal-ysis you had planned."

Makoto and Akira shared an embarrassed look, both blushing deeply. Telling Yukiko (whose casual attitude towards sex made even Akemi seem practically Victorian by comparison) exactly what she had planned for the previous night may have been a predictable source of teasing, in retrospect. On the other hand, Yukiko's casual attitude towards sex actually seemed like a rather satisfying way to think about it, particularly as she seemed fully comfortable discussing the types of kinks Makoto was finding herself to possibly have. She gave Akira a sheepish grin, then turned to Yukiko with a bashful nod. "It went... quite well. We both enjoyed ourselves very much."

Yukiko gave them both a very pleased smile. "Wonderful! But my, aren't you two delightfully adventurous. It took Chie and I ages to realize that I love it up the butt."

Makoto raised a slightly confused eyebrow. "How do you two, um... do that?"

Yukiko giggled musically. "With a strap-on usually, or else with one of our other toys." Her eyes lit up and she gave Makoto a broad, playful grin. "Actually, that reminds me! Chie had a wonderful idea last night, but she said she's too embarrassed to say it out loud, so she asked me to. We should go toy shopping and get you something approximately the same size and shape as Akira, for you to use when you can't be together."

When she got over her embarrassment, Makoto realized that actually sounded like a rather good idea. She had begun masturbating almost by accident, feeling a very unfamiliar and very urgent need to be touched one night a few weeks before she and Akira officially became an item, as she thought about him holding her in Futaba's Pyramid. She had come to a fuller appreciation of what the combination of her fingers and the thought of Akira could accomplish in the months they were apart, but there were places that Akira could touch that her fingers could not, and a "little Akira" could be a very useful addition to her repertoir.

Still blushing deeply, she gave Yukiko a nod and a smile. "T-that sounds like a very good idea."

Yukiko returned her nod approvingly. "Excellent! If you don't have any plans this afternoon, Chie and I can show you the shop we use after our meeting with Kanji and Naoto. I'm sure they'll have something that can... fill that need." She turned her attention to Akira with a grin. "You are invited to come as well, of course."

Akira gave her a playful smirk. "No pun about cum?"

Yukiko gave him a serious, slightly offended look. "Cumming is no joke." Then her facade broke, and she doubled over laughing. When she recovered, she let out an amused sigh. "After I finish watering and Chie gets back from her jog, why don't we have breakfast together, then hit the onsen for a bit?"

Makoto glanced at Akira, then turned to Yukiko. "That sounds very nice, but I think I would prefer to do something that Akira could join us in."

Yukiko looked confused for a moment, then gave her a huge grin. "Who do you think I mean by 'we'? We don't allow mixed bathing during normal operating hours, but we would be the only ones there this early. One of the perks of being the proprietress."

Makoto and Akira shared a surprised look, then he turned to Yukiko with a nervous smile. "You're sure you'd be okay with that?"

Yukiko let out a very amused laugh. "I wouldn't have suggested it if I wasn't. Besides, both Makoto and Chie could kick your butt if necessary, so I don't expect any trouble from you."

 

"So, should we do Akira?"

What?

"Well, we already did Makoto, so I think it would only be fair."

What!?

Makoto and Akira were both turning very red (only partially due to the heat of the onsen) as Chie and Yukiko plotted together with massive grins. Yukiko turned to them with a devious smirk. "Oh Makoto, would you be opposed to an... *snrk* ass-thetic discussion of Akira's qualities?"

Akira's eyes, which had been assiduously avoiding looking at anyone other than Makoto, snapped to Yukiko, quickly turning away with a deepening blush when he realized she was sitting with her breasts just above the water. She let out a very pleased giggle as he turned back to Makoto with a questioning look. 

Makoto thought for a moment, then gave him a playful but sympathetic smile. "I'm okay with it, but only if you're comfortable with it."

Akira glanced nervously down at the part of him concealed by the water. "Umm... now might not be the best time..."

Yukiko clapped excitedly with a musical laugh. "Au contraire, I believe... that would make this a perfect time to get a proper ass-essment."

He gave Makoto a playful grin and shrugged, then stood up, looking like a god rising up from the waves (to her at least), and it immediately became apparent what the source of his initial reluctance was. He glanced down sheepishly. "I assure you this is entirely the result of being naked with Makoto."

Chie and Yukiko both doubled over laughing, then gave him appraising looks, nodding and humming in approval. Makoto found herself both very approving and quite excited by the view. While she was no stranger to seeing Akira naked, him standing there contrapposto like a Renaissance statue, dripping wet, one hand on his hip, his cock not entirely hard but clearly pretty excited himself, was both incredibly attractive and very, very arousing. Good lord, was he always this hot? Yes, he was, she thought, but she continued to be amazed at how gorgeous he was.

Chie let out an impressed whistle. "Wow. I knew Akira was a total cutie, but it's kind of crazy how hot he is. If we were all single, I could totally see going bi for you."

Yukiko tapped her finger to her chin in thought, then shook her head. "I couldn't, but that's nothing personal. I just have no interest in sleeping with men. You are incredibly attractive, though. Very nice musculature, without looking like you work out just to look good. Clearly those muscles serve a purpose."

Chie nodded in agreement, then turned to Makoto with a wink. "Ha, yeah. I've been trying to keep him in shape for you."

Makoto gave her an appreciative smile. "You've been doing excellent work." She leaned over and affectionately kissed Akira's thigh (she giggled as his cock bounced up and got a bit harder. Clearly he appreciated the gesture). "Akira's body was never the most important thing to me, but I do like it very much. I'm glad he's kept a bit of softness too, though. I can spend hours curled up in his arms. He's very, very comfortable to cuddle with."

Chie and Yukiko leaned against each other, both giggling. Chie gave Makoto a very pleased smile. "I don't know how you two manage to be so cute and so hot at the same time."

Yukiko nodded in agreement, then gave Makoto a playful grin. "Quite so. In fact, if you would indulge us, could we see the lovely couple standing together?"

Makoto blushed but smiled, then stood and wrapped an arm around Akira's waist. It was a strange feeling, standing there naked with him as Chie and Yukiko gave them impressed grins, but it felt oddly comfortable. There was something different about the way they looked at them, compared to how men looked at Ann or women looked at Yusuke. Even when they were discussing physical qualities, they didn't ogle them like pieces of meat, they looked at them as people. Of course, she was still blushing hard, but it was as much from excitement as embarrassment.

Chie and Yukiko shared a look and a nod, then they too stood up and wrapped their arms around each other's waists. Makoto felt a strange sense of openness and vulnerability and innocence as the two couples stood smiling at each other, stark naked. While it was rather exciting, it wasn't exactly sexual (although both Chie and Yukiko were very beautiful. Chie's lean musculature and Yukiko's softer, willowy body complemented each other nicely, and she found herself in agreement with Chie that, were they all single, she could see herself going bi for either of them).

She turned her attention back to Akira, whose eyes and mouth were both wide with shock as he looked at their naked friends, not leering but clearly very surprised. Then he smiled and turned to her, and she felt an incredible closeness to him as their eyes locked, naked but unashamed, both recognizing that they were fully open, fully themselves in that moment. They wrapped their arms around each other's waists, and she stood on her toes and gave him a very passionate kiss. Maybe it was a little weird, but if this was what being a little weird with Akira felt like, then she was quite alright with that.

Chie nudged Yukiko with her elbow and leaned in to whisper. "Cutest straight couple I've ever seen."

Yukiko managed to agree through a torrent of laughter.

 

With some time left before their planned meeting, Makoto and Akira decided to make a bit more use of the honeymoon suite. With the rationale of "kissing her to make her feel better," he began with a very affectionate tonguing of her backside, and she discovered that the slight tenderness somehow made his gentle attentions feel even better, which she hadn't even thought possible. Funny enough, his kisses actually did make her feel much better.

When he had brought her to a very satisfying climax, as they cuddled together after, he gave her a playful grin. "Anything else you were thinking about experimenting with?"

She thought for a moment, then gave him a serious look. For the most part, she did prefer how gentle of a lover he was (even with anal. Especially with anal, really), but there were other places she wanted to try bringing them. They both enjoyed Queen On Top, and the look of his body in the onsen had her interested in feeling his strength in the same way. "Fuck me, Akira. Fuck me hard."

He gave her a look that asked if she was absolutely sure, and she gave him a smirk that said she trusted him, and she was very, very sure. He gave her a confident grin and positioned himself over her. As he drove his cock into her to the hilt, the last coherent thought before she was overwhelmed by an explosion of pleasure was that, as usual, trusting him had been an extremely good decision.

As they played around with this new dynamic, she committed a couple other discoveries to memory in the moments her mind was cogent enough to think anything other than "ohgodohgodohgod."

1\. Akira seemed to instinctively know the precise force with which to spank her to produce a very exciting sting without actually hurting her.

2\. When she was in a certain mood, Makoto really, really liked to be spanked.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The mating habits of fruit bats

Makoto and Akira, Chie and Yukiko arrived at Tatsumi Textiles to find Kanji in a quiet, intimate conversation with a young person with shaggy blue hair, wearing a sharp navy blue suit. Judging by how close they stood and the affectionate smiles they both wore, Chie's comment regarding how close Kanji and Naoto were seemed accurate.

Noticing them enter, both turned to greet them, Kanji giving them a broad smile. "Oh, hey guys! Naoto, this is Akira Kurusu and Makoto Niijima, the ones I told you about. Akira, Makoto, I'd like you to meet Naoto Shirogane."

Makoto's eyes widened in recognition at the name. "Shirogane? The Detective... Prince?"

Surmising the cause of her pause and slightly confused tone, Naoto nodded with a knowing smile. "Indeed. I initially began presenting as male to facilitate my work with the police, who often had trouble taking a teenaged girl seriously as a detective, regardless of the quality of my work. As time went on, and particularly after my Awakening, I realized that I was equally myself identifying and expressing as either male or female, but was also dissatisfied with the way both identities are typically constructed and performed. Ultimately I determined that who I am is not properly described by either identity, but in a more or less free flow between my understanding of the performance of each. The term generally used is 'gender-fluid'"

Makoto gave Naoto a sheepish look. "Please forgive me if this question is rude, but... um, what should I call you? A-as far as pronouns, I mean."

Naoto shook their head with a laugh. "I don't consider your question rude at all. I generally prefer to use 'they/them,' for simplicity's sake, but if you prefer to use the pronouns commonly associated with the gender I am currently presenting as, I consider that entirely acceptable. Frankly, I don't concern myself with it too much, except to distance myself from those who disapprove of my identity, but thank you for asking."

Makoto nodded with a grateful smile. "Thank you for clarifying. I'm afraid that much of my life has been focused heavily on my studies, and I never learned much about nonbinary identities."

Naoto hummed thoughtfully. "You might find Judith Butler's work on performative gender interesting if you wish to study further. Her prose can be rather dense, and as with any 30 year old text, there are criticisms and refinements, but I found Gender Trouble quite elucidating when I was questioning how I thought about my own identity."

Makoto had already pulled a small memo pad and a pen from her bag and was writing the name and title to research when she had time. Naoto paused and tapped a finger to their chin. "Niijima... Would I be correct to suspect you are related to Sae Niijima?"

Makoto nodded affirmatively. "Mhm. Sae is my Big Sis. Do you know her?"

Naoto shrugged. "Not well, although we have worked together a few times when she was prosecuting a case that I was brought in on for consultation. She struck me as highly competent, but rather intense." They gave Makoto a knowing smirk. "I'm sure she would be quite surprised to find her younger sister a member of the Phantom Thieves she was investigating for half a year."

Makoto gave them a sheepish grin. "Actually, she already knows about us."

"To be fair, she was pretty surprised when she figured out about Makoto." Akira interjected with a smirk.

Naoto hummed thoughtfully, the wheels in their head clearly turning. "Hmm, that's right, Sae Niijima was in charge of questioning the leader of the Phantom Thieves." They turned to Akira with a questioning look. "Would I be correct in believing that your escape from your interrogation was aided by her?"

Makoto and Akira shared a nervous look, and Naoto, noticing their reaction, shook their head with a quiet laugh. "Don't worry, I have no intention of revealing either your identities or Ms. Niijima's involvement to the authorities. My assistance is on a case by case basis, and furthermore I can think of no specific law against using one's Persona to change the cognition of criminals."

They let out relieved sighs, then Naoto gave them both a serious look. "To that end, though, I am rather curious as to the disappearance of my nominal successor, Goro Akechi, who was also involved in investigating your organization."

Akira nodded, with a pained expression. "Akechi's dead. He was killed by Shido's cognition of him in his palace."

He turned to Makoto, and she elaborated, a flame of rage in her eyes. "Akechi was also a Persona user, and had been working as a supernatural assassin and saboteur for Shido for several years. He feigned joining us in order to lead the police into the Metaverse to capture Akira, and planned to kill him in the interrogation room. We managed to trick him into killing the cognitive double of Akira by drawing him into Sis's Palace. We ended up fighting him in Shido's Palace, but after we defeated him, we were confronted by Shido's cognition. Akechi sealed himself and his double behind a bulkhead, allowing us to escape."

Akira let out a dissatisfied grunt. "He was a piece of shit, he killed two of our members' parents, killed and injured who knows how many others, and tried to kill me, but I wanted him to face Justice, not die somewhere he can never be found."

Naoto took a moment to process the information, then let out an impressed hum. "A fantastic story. I would be disinclined to believe it, were I not well acquainted with the fantastic myself." They thought for another moment, then turned to Akira with a sympathetic look. "Though perhaps to be killed by Shido's idea of him was, ultimately, the Justice he was due to face."

Makoto and Akira's eyes went very wide, Makoto especially looking quite shocked that a detective, of all people, would espouse such a deterministic understanding of a concept as sacred as Justice. Naoto, perceiving their perturbation and deducing its cause, quickly shook their head as their own eyes went quite wide as well. "P-please allow me to clarify. I don't mean Justice in a legal or Ethical sense, but more so in a karmic sense. Insofar as Akechi, through his actions, created the conditions under which his death at the hands of Shido's cognition of him became, if not inevitable, the outcome to which he was ultimately drawn, it was, arguably, Karmic Justice catching up with him."

Makoto, satisfied by Naoto's reasoning and intrigued by the depth of their thoughts on Justice, nodded with an approving smile. "I believe there's likely some truth to that. While I'm reluctant to consider an extrajudicial execution Justice, even if it is by one's own cognitive double, I suppose that sometimes it is the fate of the wicked to die at the hands of their own crimes. The question is, then, where this Karmic or poetic Justice falls within the epistemology of Justice in a broader sense."

Naoto gave her a satisfied nod and an appreciative smile, and Chie took advantage of the momentary pause in their rapid fire conversation. "I understood like a third of what you two both just said, but I'm pretty sure you're, like, soul-mates or something."

Makoto and Naoto's eyes went wide for a moment, then they shared excited smiles. Chie was right, Makoto realized. Naoto was someone who spoke the same language as her, and thought deeply about Justice. Not to mention a brilliant detective who had worked alongside the police to solve unsolvable crimes. And while she considered them something of a celebrity, the look in Naoto's eyes made it clear that they were just as excited to find someone to talk about Justice like this with.

A thought occurred, and Makoto gave Naoto a confused look. "I don't understand why you would immediately believe us about Akechi, though. If we both had access to the Metaverse, we could have murdered him with no trace, and we could have made up the plot to kill Akira."

Naoto shook their head with a chuckle. "I've interviewed hundreds of suspects, and generally consider myself a reasonably good judge of when someone is lying. And frankly, I'm not sure you are capable of lying. While you are normally reserved, you wear your passions on your sleeve, and... please don't take this the wrong way, but I believe your righteous fury at Akechi would be beyond your ability to fake. I assume you were not the deception specialist of your team."

Akira laughed and wrapped an arm around Makoto's shoulder. "Actually, she was probably our best actor. Panther was... not good, although men tended to be too distracted by her to notice."

Naoto tapped a finger to their chin. "Then perhaps you relied more on stealth than subterfuge."

Makoto blushed, but smiled. "Stealth... and beating things up, mostly."

Chie threw up a fist and cheered. "Hell yeah!"

 

After an extensive discussion of the metaphysical ramifications of their shared supernatural experiences, Makoto, Akira, Chie, and Yukiko made the trip back into the city to check out Chie and Yukiko's preferred adult toy store (Naoto and Kanji politely declined to join them, preferring to spend a bit more private time together, which seemed perfectly reasonable to Makoto, considering the amount of private time she and Akira had been spending together the past few days).

While Makoto was becoming much more comfortable thinking about (and having. Especially having) sex, walking into Chie and Yukiko's favorite sex toy store, The Dragon Comes, was like walking into a whole new universe. An extremely embarrassing universe. Phallic objects of every shape and size were hung (snrk) on the wall and racks, alongside very revealing lingerie, some porn, vibrators of every conceivable design, various bondage gear, and all manner of other sexual accoutrements. Her eyes went wide in shock at a large rubber fist. What on earth was that for!?

She turned to the one thing in the store that didn't make her blush, a young woman with spiky blue hair leaning on the counter, flipping idly through a music magazine. She looked up as the customers entered, and flashed a smile at Yukiko and Chie. "Oh hey Yuki-chan, Chie-chan! These friends of yours? Anything in particular you're looking for today?"

Chie gave her a friendly wave. "Hey, Ai-chan! Our friends are getting in some quality vacation time together after not seeing each other for a while, and we wanted to get her something to, uh, remember him by when they have an LDR."

Ai nodded with a grin and pointed to a rack of dildos. "Sure! Normal ones are over there. Take a look and see if one catches your eye."

As they approached the rack, Makoto glanced over at Akira, relieved to find him looking as flustered as she felt. She noted something else in his subtle nervousness, and realized that he was likely feeling a bit inadequate surrounded by plastic and rubber dongs, many of them alarmingly large (one of them was definitely over 33 cm, and seemed wholly impractical to her). She reached over and squeezed his hand, giving him a reassuring and affectionate smile when he looked over. He gave her an appreciative grin back, and his nervousness subsided, having gotten her message.

After perusing the wares for a moment, Makoto found one that looked right. Picking it up to examine it, she realized that this was, indeed, the one. Little Akira (she and the original Little Akira had gotten pretty familiar of late, and she was quite confident in the likeness). She didn't know if it was because she associated it with him, but it seemed to be the perfect size and shape for her. She turned to him with an excited grin. "This looks pretty good, but nothing compares to the real thing."

Chie nudged Yukiko with a giggle and whispered. "The wand chooses the wizard."

Yukiko, predictably, doubled over laughing.

Before they checked out, Yukiko pulled Makoto aside and whispered to her with a playful grin, then winked at Chie and dragged Makoto down an aisle and out of view. Chie turned to Akira with a smile. "See anything else you want to try out with Makoto?"

Akira looked around, then grinned as his eyes fell on a set of silk scarves. "Maybe."

 

Sunset was approaching when Chie and Yukiko dropped Makoto and Akira off at the Kurusu home. Akemi and Reo were out, but Morgana poked his head up over the armrest of Akemi's chair when they entered. "Hi Joker! Hi Queen! Mr. and Mrs. Kurusu went out for dinner. How was your sleepover?"

Makoto and Akira shared a grin and a blush, then she turned to Morgana. "It was lovely. I'm sorry we couldn't bring you, but..."

Morgana waved a dismissive paw. "Don't worry about it, I know you two wanted to... you know."

She walked over and scratched behind his ears, then pulled a small box out of her bag. "We got you something."

Morgana sniffed, then his eyes lit up. "Fatty tuna!? You're the best, Queen!"

She opened the box and set it down next to the chair. "We ended up getting sushi for dinner, and we couldn't very well forget about you."

He hopped off the chair and began gnawing on a piece of sushi, purring in ecstasy.

As he feasted, Akira tapped Makoto's side and motioned towards the back porch. Makoto followed and they sat on the edge of the porch, which happened to give them a perfect view of the sunset. They cuddled up in Cuddling Position 6 (cuddling side by side on a bench, wall, or edge), and quietly enjoyed the moment. The last 24 hours had been very exciting, and they were both happy to relax and decompress following their adventures.

As they watched the beautiful shifting colors of the sunset, they occasionally turned to grin and giggle at each other, or shared affectionate little kisses and nuzzles into one another's necks. While there was quite a bit that they could discuss, they seemed to be in agreement that their comfortable, intimate silence said what they both wanted to say quite well.

After a few minutes, Morgana joined them, having finished his dinner. He sat beside them and cleaned his face with a paw, then looked up at the sky. "It's really pretty, isn't it?"

Makoto gave him a warm smile and a nod, then reached over and gently rubbed his neck. "It is. I never realized before I came here how beautiful the countryside can be."

As dusk settled in, Makoto noticed a small black shape flitting around in circles over the yard. She nudged Akira and pointed up at it with a questioning look. He looked where she was pointing, then nodded. "Bats. As far as I can tell, they're out here all night, but you mostly see them at dusk and dawn, when there's enough light for them to stand out against the sky."

Makoto let out an appreciative hum and looked back up to find that a second bat had joined the first, both zipping around in inscrutable, eccentric loops as they hunted insects. While it was, really, a rather mundane occurrence, Makoto found following them in their evening excursions quite fascinating. These small creatures had their own lives that she could only begin to imagine, and catching a glimpse of them felt special, like being let in on a secret. She wondered, with a smile, whether the two here were a couple, which led her to further wonder what the mating habits of bats were.

She shared her thoughts with Akira, and he pulled out his phone, and after a few moments began giggling. "It says here that bats are among the only mammals, along with humans and bonobos, who have been observed performing oral sex. Female short-nosed fruit bats perform fellatio to prolong sex, and male Indian flying foxes perform cunnilingus for the same reason." He turned his phone to show her a zoological illustration of two fruit bats in the act, with the female leaning down (or up? they seemed to be hanging upside down) to lick the male as he penetrated her.

Makoto giggled and glanced over at Morgana, who was sleeping comfortably after his meal, then turned back to Akira with a playful grin. "Maybe we should take a cue from them."

Akira gave her an excited smirk. "I don't know that either of us is that flexible."

They both tried hard to keep their laughter down, so as not to wake Morgana as they retired to Akira's room.

 

"So, I was wondering... was there anything you wanted to try?" Makoto gave Akira an intimate smile after a very pleasant opening kiss.

Akira returned her smile and softly brushed her cheek. "Honestly, a lot of the things I've always thought about, you've already surprised me with. I love how daring you're getting about sex. It's like heaven."

She gave him a satisfied giggle and stood on her toes to give him another gentle kiss. "I'm glad you're enjoying, but I feel like I've been pushing us to try so many new things I've wanted, and I'd like to know what else you want. I appreciate that you worry about making me uncomfortable, but I want you to know that I'm very comfortable with you, so if there's anything you'd like to do with me, or do to me, or have me do to you, I would be very happy to try."

He looked away bashfully. "Well, it feels kind of childish to ask compared to everything we've done, but... I've always kind of fantasized about what it would be like if you, um... danced for me. Like, a striptease. You don't have to if you don't want, of course, but I'd like to see you show me that you know how sexy you are to me."

She cupped his cheek and turned his face to look her in the eyes as she smiled affectionately. She gave him one more kiss, then a playful smirk, and gently pushed him down to sit on the bed, then pulled her blouse over her head, revealing the lacy azure bra she and Yukiko had picked out. She giggled at his very surprised and very, very excited expression, then pressed her arms against the sides of her breasts, pushing them together to give her a bit of cleavage and shimmying to let them jiggle a bit. Akira was clearly loving it, and she found that she loved how much he was loving it. But if he thought this was good, she had another trick up her sleeve. Or rather, in her pants.

She spun to turn her back to him and looked over her shoulder with a wink, then bent down and slid her leggings off, revealing the matching lacy azure thong she and Yukiko had also picked out for her. She stood back up and cocked her hip to the side as she had seen Ann do so many times in the Metaverse, letting out a musical laugh at Akira's audible gasp. She backed up, reasonably gracefully, and bent her knees to rub her butt across his lap, finding him very excited indeed. Then she stood back up, unhooked her bra and slipped it off her arms, then twirled to face him again, with a very pleased grin as he struggled to pick his jaw up off the floor. She had, in spite of Akira's insistence, never really thought of herself as "sexy," but she was kind of feeling it now.

She brought up one leg and planted it beside him on the bed, then gracefully climbed onto his lap, wrapping her legs around him and looking down at him with a confident smirk. She gently held the back of his hair and pulled his face into her cleavage, giggling at the pleasurable tickle as he kissed her breasts. When she released his hair and he pulled back, they shared affectionate smiles, then she leaned down to give him a very passionate kiss (it was oddly satisfying to be the one leaning down to kiss him for once). She ran her fingers through his hair (a consistent favorite of both of them, especially Akira, who hummed appreciatively). "So, how's this?"

He wrapped his arms around her waist and affectionately squeezed her butt. "Even better than I imagined. Every day I'm just in awe that I'm dating the smartest, kindest, sexiest woman in the world."

She gave him a warm, appreciative smile, then reached down and stroked his cock through his jeans with a powerful smirk. "Good, because this position gave me a few other ideas I'd like to try. Now, let's get these pants off."


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hot Day

The next day was almost unbearably hot, and as noon approached and temperatures continued to climb, Makoto found herself lying naked in the dark on Akira's bed, sweating in excited anticipation of his return. When he suggested that he had an idea for something to do about the heat, she had been very happy to agree. When he pulled out a black silk scarf and tied it over her eyes, she was a little confused as to what his plan involved, but was very intrigued to find out (he made sure the blindfold was tied securely and entirely blocked vision, but was completely comfortable). As he laid her on the bed, he had given her a soft kiss, then whispered. "I'll be right back. I want the rest to be a surprise."

It only took him about a minute to return, but the combination of anticipation and lack of sight made the moments stretch out deliciously as her mind went into an excited overdrive. Akira was clearly taking her invitation to implement his own ideas to explore their relationship seriously, and while his request for a striptease the previous night had been a bit of a slow introduction, it had certainly had its own charm, and eased her into some of the themes he was interested in experimenting with. While her own ideas had largely focused on the physical acts and sensations (which were, in fairness, extremely pleasurable), he obviously had some thoughts about interaction and intimacy that she was very interested in sharing with him.

Her striptease, for a fairly simple act, had provided her with a space that she wasn't used to, one in which to explore her idea of her own sex appeal, and let her convey that to him in a way that was quite enjoyable for both of them. He had explicitly told her that he wanted her to show him that she knew how sexy she was to him, and she found in his (very cute) excitement at her (also very cute) attempt that she could feel his attraction to her in a way she hadn't really thought much about before. Being "sexy" had never been a priority to her, and she had zero interest in being so for anyone other than him (and maybe Hifumi). From an objective perspective, her dance had hardly been that impressive, but he absolutely adored it, because it was her. If it wasn't exactly the best, it was his favorite.

He had always found her, just being herself, more attractive than she could rationally understand. It had taken her quite a while to get past the idea that she wasn't the type of girlfriend she thought everyone wanted (Ann), and in spite of the passion and excitement she and Akira felt for one another, it was still a bit of a challenge to conceive of herself as being anywhere near as sexy as he (blatantly) considered her to be. Their ongoing experiments together had certainly gone a long way towards allowing her to see their relationship as being one of deep mutual attraction, and she was increasingly becoming comfortable feeling as sexy to him as he insisted she had always been. While it was a bit of a new feeling, it was honestly quite nice, and showing him that part of herself felt surprisingly satisfying.

This latest experiment also seemed intended to explore some of the more mental dimensions of their relationship. Mutual comfort and trust were incredibly important to both of them, and he was playing around with how much she trusted him and how comfortable she was in a situation where she gave him control, if only in a purely playful way. She noted that he had left her hands unbound, although she had seen several other scarves, meaning she was able to remove the blindfold at any time. It was tied in a simple bow, meaning that one pull would have it off. If she wanted it off, that is. She realized that she found it extremely exciting, and couldn't wait to see what else he had in mind. She was also very interested to conduct further experiments in this area, and the set of scarves he had picked up on their shopping trip gave her some ideas for things she wanted to try out, to play with his level of trust and comfort with her.

She was brought out of her train of thought by the sound of the door opening and then quickly closing, then a soft clink as something ceramic was placed on the small wooden bedside table. She felt the warmth of Akira's presence as he leaned close and whispered. "Ready?" She nodded with an excited smile, and a moment later she felt something very cold brush against her cheek. After a moment it pulled away and was replaced by something warm and soft as he kissed the spot. The cold brushed against her lips, and she parted them to allow it entry, the cold hard object leaving behind a bit of cool water in her mouth before it again pulled back to be replaced by Akira's warm and exploring tongue.

He traced a line with the ice cube down her neck to her collarbones, following it with a line of kisses, planting little flowers of warmth along the cool trail and drinking the melt water pooled in the dip beneath her shoulder. The combination of the blindfold heightening her other senses and her hot, flushed skin made the sensations unbelievably intense, and her breath hitched as she gripped the sheets in ecstasy. When the ice reached her breasts, and he brushed it around a nipple in a slow, soft circle, then shifted to the other nipple as he gently sucked and nibbled the first, the earlier stimulation seemed like merely an appetizer, as she bit her lip and let out a moan of overwhelming pleasure, her back arching into the hot and cold touch.

When the stimulation was getting to be a bit much, she gently but insistently pushed the hand holding the ice cube down from her breast to her solar plexus, then after a moment began to move his hand in a slow winding path down her abdomen before releasing it and letting her hand drop to the mattress in the most satisfied way imaginable (She could see his fucking smirk through the blindfold). He traced her abdomen and down her sides with the ice and kisses, and she made it very clear what a supernatural level of enjoyment she was deriving from his attentions. She sighed and giggled as the ice left a trail of water that slid off her body in a way that tickled better than she had ever thought something could tickle.

When the first ice cube had melted from the combination of the heat outside and the heat inside Makoto, she let out a refreshed and musical sigh. She felt his face close to hers and he whispered. "So?"

She smiled in the direction she sensed him and brought up a hand to affectionately brush his cheek before gently grabbing his hair and pulling him down into a kiss wherein she described in great detail exactly how much she had enjoyed that. She released him, panting, and implored. "More, please." The force of his smirk was such that, even through the blindfold, it entirely consumed her vision.

She heard a quiet, wet rattle as he pulled another ice cube out of the ceramic bowl, then felt the cold hovering over her inner thigh for a moment before it lightly brushed her skin. Ooooooooh~. She liked that A Lot. The ice pulled back as he gauged her reaction, then, finding it to be very much "yea", the warm kiss on the cold spot. He brought the ice back, a little higher, and she gasped. He slowly brushed it upward, and she hummed with one of the most pleased hums she had ever expressed. 

As the ice slid closer to her pussy, it got to be a bit much, and she brought a hand up to hold his wrist and gently but insistently pull the ice back down her thigh, then up in a heart shape along the crease of her pelvis, then to her navel, then finally coming to a rest over her sacral chakra. She let out a sigh of profound satisfaction and released him. He began to trace slow circles around her navel, and she melted into the mattress as the ice melted into her.

He pulled the ice back for a moment, and she gave him a confused hum, then he brushed it down the crease of her pelvis and she let out a surprised gasp. The ice pulled back again and she heard him chuckle almost imperceptibly. Oh no, he had the element of surprise! Fuck! Although...

The ice returned along the curve of her hip, travelling upward and inward. She intercepted it and drew it in a line down one thigh and up the other, then across her abs. When she released him he pulled back, waited a moment, then began another surprise attack, again quickly intercepted and redirected by her, brought up to trace her breasts with an ecstatic sigh. She liked this game! Joker had clearly been holding out, but somehow she found it in her heart to forgive him.

When the second ice cube had melted, she again felt Akira's presence by her face. "More?"

She pulled off the blindfold and gave him a very pleased and contented smile, then an extremely pleased and contented kiss. "I think that's enough for now, but I loved it. But now..." She pulled the scarf taut between her hands and narrowed her eyes in the irresistible smirk of Queen. "...your turn." He broke into an enormously pleased grin.

 

Just after noon, with temperatures showing no signs of abating, Akira lay naked and tied to his bed. As he stripped, Makoto had examined the scarves. Soft enough to be comfortable but strong enough to serve as either blindfold or restraints. A very nice purchase with a myriad of applications. Obviously, she didn't want to just copy his idea, and the thought of him tied down and at her mercy was rather appealing. 

He had been very pleased with the idea, and allowed her to tie his wrists, comfortable but secure, to the posts of his bed. Once he was restrained, however, as he tested the scarves, she noticed a momentary flash of involuntary panic, and realized that this might not have been the best idea, given the traumatic experiences he had with having his wrists bound. She leaned down and gave him a gentle, reassuring kiss as she lightly brushed his cheek with her fingertips, then shifted her hand up to run her fingers through his hair, gently scratching his scalp in the way she knew he loved, as she gave him an affectionate, concerned look. "Akira, it's just me. You're safe. I won't hurt you. And if you want to stop, just say, um, how about 'curry'? That will be your safe word. One pull on the bows and you're free. Are you going to be okay?"

He closed his eyes and let out a deep, centering breath, then gave her a grateful, vulnerable smile and a nod. "I trust you, my Queen."

She returned his smile and gave him a light, sweet peck on the lips, then gracefully climbed up to straddle his lap and bent down to give him a Queen Kiss (one of his favorite types), confident and powerful and assertive, knowing exactly what she wanted and knowing that he was more than willing to give it to her. When she pulled away, she gave him a playful, devious smirk and reached over to pluck an ice cube from the bowl.

He gasped into a sigh as she brushed the ice across his chest before bringing it to rest for a moment on his nipple. Said nipple was not the only thing to become almost immediately hard at the sensation, and she giggled at the instant reaction as she brushed the ice down to his abs and leaned down to run her tongue around his nipple. Then, finding both of them very ready, she reached a hand down to guide him into her as she lowered herself onto him. She began riding him at a slow, easy rhythm, both to prolong the experience and to tease him a bit before giving him the main event (so to speak).

While she didn't exactly consider herself dominant in a traditional sense (see Chap. 3), now that she was actually trying it out, she found a little light bondage surprisingly exciting. While she had no interest in hurting or degrading him, playing around with control and surrender like this was rather arousing, and she found that she liked being in both positions more or less equally (she definitely had to try having him tie her down at some point). Akira clearly found it quite exciting as well, letting out very pleased hums and sighs as she experimented with brushing the ice across various sensitive spots. The side of his chest, just below his armpits, seemed particularly susceptible to this type of stimulation, and he gasped in ecstasy and strained against his restraints as he twisted into her attentions.

As she ran the ice down his neck and shoulder, following it with her warm, passionate lips, she realized that, other than incorporating some new accessories, this wasn't so different from the dynamics they had already developed (and enjoyed enormously). Both Joker On Top and Queen On Top, by their very nature, involved some degree of surrender of control on the part of one of them, fully trusting that the other would use the control granted to them to give them a level of pleasure and satisfaction that nothing else came close to. If anything, this was a little bit less aggressive and more playful than Queen On Top normally was. Instead of fucking Akira's brains out, she was taking her time to experiment with smaller, more subtle gestures, and closely analysing Akira's responses and comfort.

His responses were quite gratifying. The excited and adoring look in his eyes was giving her butterflies in a way that felt surprisingly innocent (considering what they were doing). She leaned down and met his lips, tasting his appreciation and pleasure and love, before pulling back and out of his reach, giving him a playful smirk as she teased him a bit longer. With the first ice cube melted to nothing by Akira's heat, she reached over to the bowl, letting out a little disappointed sigh as she found only a shallow pool of cool water remaining.

She thought for a moment, then returned her attention to Akira and pulled on the bows of his restraints, releasing him. The moment his hands were free, he wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her down onto him until their bodies were flush and hot against one another, an incredible electricity flowing between them as they felt an incomparable sense of closeness and intimacy (technically, they were about as physically close as they could be, but you get the idea). She felt sparks across her skin as he ran a hand up her neck to gently but firmly rest on the back of her head, his fingers playing in her hair as he pulled her into a devastatingly passionate kiss.

She began grinding her hips down and forward on his cock more insistently, as the electric feeling between them had her wanting to come more than she had thought possible, and he bucked his own hips up and into her slowly but powerfully, clearly having the same idea. It didn't take long (they were both extremely ready for release) but it took exactly long enough, and they let out intensely needing moans into one another's mouths as they both came with an overwhelming wave of relief. She rolled off of him with an incredibly contented sigh and lay panting next to him on her side, one hand idly playing across his abs as she gazed in wonder at his beautiful face.

He rolled onto his side, also panting, and laid an arm lightly across her hip as he looked lovingly into her eyes, then leaned in and gave her a perfect series of kisses, starting soft and chaste and building up to passionate and intimate. When they were both satisfied, they lay sweating and adoring one another for a moment of indeterminate length, blissfully inhabiting a private world of their mutual satisfaction and love.

 

A "ThunderShirt(R)" is a pet product for cats and dogs who suffer from anxiety. By applying constant, gentle pressure on the animal's torso, the vest relieves discomfort stemming from common stressors like fireworks or thunderstorms. For much of their relationship, Akira had been Makoto's ThunderShirt(R) (she knew he would find the comparison both hilarious and adorable, but also suspected that he would tease her to no end about it, so she kept that particular thought to herself). She had been absolutely mortified the first time they were surprised by a sudden storm during one of their study sessions. She hated her phobia, and was terrified that he would be ashamed or disappointed that the normally stoic Queen could be so fearful of thunder.

Her worry was quickly disproved, as his immediate reaction was gentle, affectionate concern and desire to comfort her by any means necessary. It didn't take him long to figure out that wrapping himself around her and holding her tight worked extremely well in alleviating her anxiety during storms (working far better than clutching one of her Buchi-kun plushies to her chest for dear life, which had been her best option up to that point). As their relationship progressed, they would frequently schedule study sessions when a storm was expected, as being in his arms was the place she felt safest then (and was quite enjoyable in its own right).

One of the many unpleasant consequences of his return to Inaba was the loss of her most effective stress reliever. The first storm after he left had been pretty bad, and she was extremely displeased with her relapse. She ended up calling him, sure that her shaky voice must have sounded pathetic, hoping that at least a reminder of his presence would provide some measure of comfort. His voice on the other end had been soft but concerned, and he patiently stayed on the line and gently talked her through it. While not as effective as him actually being there, combined with squeezing her Buchi-kun, his voice and the thought of him did go a long way toward comforting her.

She did not, however, consider this a satisfactory or sustainable solution. While Akira made it absolutely clear that she could call him any time, she wanted to move to a space where she could more effectively deal with her fear on her own. He had reminded her not to be too hard on herself, as she knew that as much as it frustrated her, phobias were not rational, and could not be reasoned away. Breathing exercises and visualizing herself in a comfortable, happy place (cuddling with Akira, a cup of coffee, and a good book was her go-to) worked reasonably well, and over time she found that she was becoming significantly more functional during storms, if still somewhat uncomfortable.

As the afternoon wore on, dark, ominous clouds began to assemble over Inaba (which at least cut down the heat a bit, thank god) portending a summer storm carried in on the hot air. Makoto eyed the sky nervously out the window in the Kurusu living room, then turned to Akira, who gave her a sympathetic look and squeezed her hand reassuringly. As if to punctuate her concern, there was a loud peel of thunder, followed by the roar of a sudden downpour. She jumped in her seat and scooted closer to him as he wrapped an arm around her and gave her shoulder a comforting rub. She closed her eyes and took three deep, calming breaths, then opened her eyes and gave him a grateful smile, and he leaned in to give her a soft, approving kiss.

She snuggled comfortably into him, laying her head on his chest and focusing on his relaxing, steady heartbeat. As she got more comfortable, Akira nuzzled into her hair and asked her something surprising. "Do you want to watch it? Without the buildings blocking the view, they can be pretty impressive."

She looked up at him in shock, but as she thought about it for a moment, she considered that maybe this would be a good way for her to grow. Confronting her fear and perhaps learning to experience storms from a different angle might help cut out the element of the unknown that was a major component of her discomfort. She nodded nervously, and he gave her a warm, affectionate smile and hug, then stood and offered her his hand.

After a quick detour to grab her Panda Thieves (as an extra layer of comfort), he led her out to the back porch, sat in a comfortable deck chair under a small awning, and pulled her onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her waist and lightly kissing her neck. "If you aren't comfortable, we can go in any time." She nodded and took another deep breath, relaxing (as much as possible) into his embrace. Under the aggressive tapping of rain against the awning, they trained their eyes on the sky, and after a few moments saw a spectacular arc of lightning streak down from the clouds. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. The accompanying boom of thunder indicated that the lightning struck about a mile away. While the thunder still made her a bit nervous, Akira's arms tightening comfortably around her (as her own arms tightened around the Panda Thieves) let her know she was safe, and actually watching the lightning was, as promised, quite impressive.

As they continued to spectate the storm, Makoto found herself becoming increasingly comfortable, and began to actually enjoy the experience. The rain pouring down onto Akemi's nice little garden and the intermittent flashes of lightning were both beautiful in their own way, and she found Akira pulling her just a little bit out of her comfort zone, while still managing to make her comfortable, quite pleasant. This was what Broadening Her Horizons was all about, helping her grow as a person by experiencing new things. Even if she was a bit nervous going in, he provided her with a space of comfort and safety, and made it clear that she ultimately had control over continuing their excursion. She tilted her head up and gratefully kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Akira. It's unbelievable how much you've helped me grow."

He smiled down at her, then tilted her chin up into a comfortably intimate kiss. "I feel the same way about you."

As they shared a moment of closeness and love, a massive bolt of lightning struck close by, followed almost immediately by an extremely loud boom of thunder, then all the lights in the houses on their street went out. Shit! Shitshitshit! Makoto gave Akira a panicked look, squeezing the Panda Thieves as tight as she could. He gently brushed her cheek. "Want to go in?" She gave him a quick, worried nod, and he helped her up and led her back inside. Akemi was busily lighting candles and placing them strategically around the house (while it was still the middle of the afternoon, the mass of storm clouds left it quite dark inside). She indicated for Makoto and Akira to take a few to illuminate his room and the bathroom, and noticing Makoto's discomfort, placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Power should be back soon, dear. You two snuggle up and try to get comfortable while we wait it out."

In the subdued, flickering candlelight, Akira led Makoto (still hugging her Panda Thieves very tight) to his bed, pulled her down next to him, and wrapped his arms securely around her, snuggling as close and comfortably as possible, the plushies squeezed between their chests. He gave her a reassuring kiss on the forehead. "Not the worst thing we've dealt with. We'll get through this. Alright?"

She nodded and buried her head into his chest as he brought up a hand to gently stroke her hair. "I-I'm sorry, Akira. I thought I had gotten past this..."

He rested his chin on top of her head as he moved his hand down to rub calming circles on her back. "Don't worry about it, Makoto. It's entirely human to have fears. All I want is for you to be comfortable and happy, whether that means trying something new or stepping back and regrouping where you feel safe."

She tilted her head up and kissed his neck just below his jaw. "Thank you. I love you so much, Akira. And... you were right. The storm was very impressive to watch. I think... I'd like to try it again sometime."

He smiled and leaned down to kiss her cheek. "Anything for my Queen."


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Happy Birthday, Chie!

"Ooooooh.~ Oh god, Makoto, that feels amaaaaazing. Right there, riiiiight there. A little bit harder. Mmmmmm.~"

With little else to do while they waited for the storm to pass and the power to come back on, as Makoto got comfortable with the intermittent thunder, she decided it was a good time to have Akira teach her how to give him a proper massage. He was very happy to oblige, and determined that the most effective means of teaching was hands-on experience. He did her first, his strong but gentle hands kneading knots of stress (conveniently provided by the storm) out of her back as he talked her through the process, pointing out the general flow and interconnectedness of the major muscle groups and demonstrating the types of motions and level of pressure appropriate to each. The candlelight gave it a very nice atmosphere, as intimate as it was educational (a combination Makoto was extremely fond of).

Once he was satisfied with her state of Extreme Relaxation, he tapped her on the shoulder and gracefully climbed off her back. She rolled over and sat up, giving him an appreciative kiss before pulling off his shirt and indicating that it was his turn. She considered putting her bra back on, but decided, with a playful smirk, that even if he couldn't see her, lying face down on the bed, he would probably enjoy the thought of getting a topless massage from his girlfriend (she was very right). Once he was in position, she began feeling out the muscles of his neck and shoulders, searching for tight spots and firmly manipulating the tension out. While she was new to being on this side of the process, she had been on the receiving end of his ministrations enough times to have a good general idea of how it was done, and based on his reactions she was doing reasonably well.

She quickly found that she rather enjoyed the feel of his muscles (not that she needed an excuse to feel him, but she liked the idea of deriving pleasure from something that she could technically consider productive), as well as the sense of control she got from his (adorable) responses. Most of all, she was very pleased to find something that they could both do that was both useful and pleasurable. All of the various flavors of sex they had been trying were wonderful, but had her thinking A Lot about balance and mutuality. As much as they both enjoyed everything, managing the balance sheet of an equal relationship was something of a conundrum. She had, in part, begun incorporating new techniques because she felt like Akira's own contributions brought her more pleasure than she could imagine herself providing.

Now that they had all manner of things they each knew the other enjoyed (and a few they both knew they both enjoyed), was it even possible to calculate a balanced equation of pleasure? One difficulty was that acts that seemed equivalent on the surface had notably different effects. Cunnilingus had her gripping at his hair in ecstasy, while fellatio gave him more of a relaxed, boneless pleasure. And while she enjoyed the effect it had on him, he seemed to enjoy giving her oral far more. He adored Queen On Top, which she also enjoyed quite a bit. How did that balance out? This whole "wanting to be equals in everything" business was more complicated than she had initially thought. Since he left much of the decision making on what to do up to her, she felt the onus to determine how best to proceed as equals.

As she let out an amused giggle at his extremely relaxed hum when she kneaded a particularly stubborn knot out of his lower back (he really should try to improve his posture, as cute as she found his nonchalant slouch), she realized that she was, perhaps, thinking about it the wrong way. She remembered what Reo wrote about avoiding a transactional approach to relationships. Loving one another as Subjects meant they both enjoyed bringing each other pleasure as much as they enjoyed the pleasure they could bring. So far both of them enjoyed everything in varying degrees, and that seemed like the best way for them to ensure equal benefit. The most important thing was to both be comfortable communicating what they wanted to do, and to listen and be open to one another's ideas and desires.

Satisfied that the approach they had adopted thus far was an effective means of maintaining parity in their intimate relationships, Makoto's mind turned to a question she had considered for some time. "You know, Akira, I've wondered for a while... where did you learn to give such wonderful massages?"

She felt his entire back suddenly become tense. "Well... um, remember when we helped Ms. Kawakami? After she was able to quit moonlighting as a maid, she offered to swing by to, uh... give me massages." He could, apparently, sense her eyes narrowing at the back of his head, as he quickly clarified. "I-I promise there was nothing sexual about it. She's a licensed massage therapist. It just helped me recover after Metaverse missions, so I could get more done in the evenings. After a couple times, I asked her to teach me so I could do the same for you. I was the only one she knew was a Thief, so I couldn't exactly ask her to do you too without raising suspicions... Uh, Makoto... a little less hard... please?"

She climbed off of him and stood beside the bed, glaring down at him. He sat up and gave her an apologetic frown. "I swear, nothing happened between us."

She shook her head, a shade of disappointment in her glare. "Akira, I'm not upset because I think you were having an affair. I'm upset because you didn't tell me. You were having another woman come by in the evenings to give you massages, and you didn't think you should be open about it with me? I don't want secrets between us..." Hurt flashed across her face. "...not after Christmas."

He nodded sadly. "I'm really, really sorry. I didn't mean to keep it from you, but it wasn't something I felt like I could just bring up without it sounding like... you know."

She closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh. "I believe you. I know you're sorry, and I know you didn't mean to hurt me, but I need you to know that you did hurt me. I need to know I can trust you, and this makes that a lot harder. I trusted you with all the beautiful women you're friends with, but now I have to wonder if I really should have."

He reached out a hand to hold hers, finding her unnervingly unresponsive. "The last thing I ever wanted was to hurt you, and I hate that I fucked up so bad. Is there... anything I can do to make it up to you?"

She gave him a serious look. "I don't want to be angry with you, Akira. Just be honest with me." She let out a frustrated huff as she turned her hand to hold his, an uncomfortable, questioning look in her eyes. "Did you... ever have feelings for one of your other confidants?"

He shook his head, then looked her straight in the eyes, showing her that he was being fully open and vulnerable. "No, never. From the moment you joined us, I knew that you were, well, special, and I wanted to get to know you better. I hoped, more than anything, that we could maybe become... more than friends." He turned away with a pained expression. "When... when you told me you didn't think I was good enough to impress Eiko, I was devastated. I... I thought you were right, you could do so much better than me. You're brilliant, and strong, and beautiful. What could I offer you except a delinquent with no future?"

She smiled warmly and sat beside him on the bed, entwining their fingers. "I'm sorry I hurt you. It was cruel of me to treat you like you weren't good enough. I guess we've both made mistakes and accidentally hurt each other." She leaned closer and whispered intimately. "To tell the truth, I had a crush on you from the moment I joined you, too. I don't know why I thought Eiko wouldn't be impressed with you. You're wonderful, and charming, and very handsome. I think... maybe I was afraid to admit how I felt, so I pushed you away. I couldn't imagine such an exciting, captivating person could like an uptight robot like me."

He shook his head and squeezed her hand. "You don't need to apologize, I'm supposed to be the one apologizing to you. I kept a secret from you because I didn't want to hurt you, but I only made things worse. I promise, from now on I will share everything with you."

She squeezed his hand back and leaned over to give him a soft kiss on the cheek. "That's all I want. I think that with everything we've been through, and everything we've done together, at this point we can be entirely open with each other. How does that sound?"

He smiled and brought their linked hands up to lightly kiss her fingers. "That sounds like the best thing in the world."

She pulled them down to lie side by side and rolled onto her side to snuggle up to him. "Of course, this applies to things we want to hold back because we think it would upset or hurt each other. Pleasant surprises are still fair game."

He rolled onto his side to face her with a grin, and leaned in to give her a playful kiss. "Of course."

 

They awoke from a very comfortable nap together with the return of the lights and the whir of Akira's fan. Makoto sat up and stretched out, then checked the time on her phone, finding several messages in the FemThieves group chat.

Oracle: Hey, Queen! How's living with Akira going? You two been getting nasty? （○゜ε＾○）

Noir: I don't expect that she would be willing to answer such a personal question.

Panther: But we all want to know! A romantic getaway in the country! It's like their honeymoon! 

Noir: Yes, but aren't they staying with Akira's parents? I would think they would be unlikely to have much opportunity to be intimate.

She rolled her eyes as she messaged them back.

Queen: Hello, everyone. It's been absolutely wonderful here. Akira's parents have been surprisingly supportive. And yes, we have been "getting nasty" quite a bit.

Oracle: Whoa! ₍₍ (ง Ŏ౪Ŏ)ว ⁾⁾

Panther: Awesome! You go, girl!

Noir: Oh my.

Oracle: What's it like? (ノ*゜▽゜*)

Makoto blushed fiercely, and Akira raised an inquisitive eyebrow at her. She flashed him a bashful grin. "Girl talk."

Queen: Well, it's a little hard to describe in a text, and I don't want to get too much into the details out of respect for Akira's privacy, but it feels incredible.

Queen: With so much free time together, we've been trying all sorts of new things, and we've both loved everything so far.

Panther: Hell yeah! I should have known you had a freaky side. I bet you tie him up and he loves it!

Queen: Well...

Panther: ASDFGHJKL OH MY GOD I WAS KIDDING!

Oracle: Don't hurt him too bad, Queen ( ͡~ ͜ʖ ͡°)

Noir: I never pictured Akira as being submissive...

Panther: I mean, he did name her Queen...

Queen: I wouldn't exactly say that he is... We only tried that once, and I'm planning to try having him do the same to me. We kind of... play around with switching up roles. We've certainly done some things where I give him control.

Panther: Wow.

Oracle: Wow. (´,,•ω•,,)

Panther: Seriously though, that's awesome. You two are adorable together. Have fun and get on with your bad selves!

Queen: On a more serious note, we've made an important discovery. We should discuss it with everyone.

She pulled up the main Phantom Thieves chat.

Makoto: Futaba, are you absolutely certain that these chats are secure?

Futaba: 1000% (＾＾)ｂ

Makoto: Very well. Akira, would you like to explain?

Akira: Long story short, we found another team of users.

Ryuji: FOR REAL!?

Makoto: Yes. Two young women Akira befriended turned out to be involved in an incident similar to ours about five years ago, and they introduced us to two of their teammates.

Ann: Awesome! Are they nice?

Makoto: Very. I think you would like them.

Ryuji: are they cute?

Akira: They're already dating.

Ryuji: aw crap

Ann: Wait, "they're dating"? As in, dating each other?

Makoto: Yes.

Ann: YESSSSSSSSSS!!! I need to meet them ASAP!

Akira: I agree. I think we should arrange some kind of meetup to discuss things further with them.

Makoto: We can bring it up the next time we spend time with them. We'll keep you informed of any developments.

After the rest of the Thieves chimed in with their agreement and their well-wishes for the couple, Makoto and Akira pocketed their phones, then Akira got another notification. "Oh! Tomorrow is Chie's birthday, and she wants to know if we want to join them."

Makoto gave him an excited smile and a nod. "Absolutely! That sounds wonderful."

 

The next day, Yukiko and Chie arrived to pick up Makoto, Akira, and Morgana for their celebrations just before lunch (Naoto and Kanji took Naoto's car, since the six, plus one "cat", couldn't all fit in Yukiko's). Their first stop was lunch at Aiya for a round of beef bowls (Chie proclaimed proudly that meat was the essential fuel for any proper adventure). While the Rainy Day Mega Beef Bowl Challenge was not available, given that the weather was beautiful, Chie was content with the non-extradimensional bowl, as she planned on being more physically active than the alarming quantity of meat in the special would allow.

As they enjoyed their beef, Makoto and Akira introduced Naoto and Kanji to Morgana. They both considered him thoughtfully, then Kanji gave him an excited smile. "Is... is it okay if I pet you?"

Morgana gave him a nonchalant shrug. "Sure. Just don't be too rough. I like being scratched behind the ears and on the back of my neck." Kanji nodded and reached over to Akira's bag, gently scratching Morgana's head as the catlike being let out an appreciative purr. After a while, Naoto nudged Kanji, reminding him that they had food to eat.

Once their meals were finished, they discussed their further plans for the day, a trip to Shichiri Beach. Both Makoto and Naoto didn't have swim suits with them, so they decided to make a detour to Junes to pick up suits. All of Yukiko's suggestions seemed a bit revealing to Makoto, but they eventually found one that she was comfortable in. Naoto meanwhile broke off from the rest of the group to find a suit to their liking.

Once they had picked out their suits, along with drinks and snacks, they made the short road trip up to Shichiri Beach. It was a fairly modest beach compared to the one they had visited the previous summer, but Makoto found the lack of other people rather comforting. Although the lack of changing booths necessitated changing into their suits in their cars, both she and Akira had already seen Chie and Yukiko naked, and vice versa, so it was somewhat less embarrassing than she expected (Morgana stayed in Akira's bag, outside the car, not wanting to see anyone naked, especially Akira or Makoto).

Seeing Naoto and Kanji in their suits, on the other hand, was rather more embarrassing than she expected. Naoto sported a modest navy blue one-piece, but this was Makoto's first time seeing them presenting as female, and she did her best to hide her surprise at the suddenly quite busty Detective Prince. The primary source of embarrassment, however, was Kanji, or rather Kanji's skimpy little speedo. She couldn't exactly fault him for liking to show off his muscular body, but that didn't make it any less startling. Apparently unfazed by Makoto's wide eyes, Kanji pumped a fist in the air. "Alright! Let's hit the water!"

As he dashed excitedly down to the shore, followed by an equally excited Chie, a slightly less enthusiastic Naoto, and a giggling Yukiko, Makoto turned to Akira, her eyes still wide. He grinned and leaned down to give her a kiss on the cheek. "Sounds like a plan."

They strolled down to the beach to find Kanji and Chie already splashing happily among the waves, as Yukiko laid out beach blankets and Naoto stood gazing contemplatively at the water. Akira set down the bag containing Morgana beside the blanket, then took Makoto's hand with a smile and led her down to the water. It was a bit chilly, but considering the warm weather it felt quite nice. They waded in up to their waists, swaying and bouncing with the waves and enjoying the cool as they playfully splashed each other.

Makoto gave Akira a radiant smile. This felt wonderful. The last time they had been to the beach was before they started dating (well, by the Hawaii trip they were getting rather close, but it wasn't quite official yet), and being able to openly enjoy the feel of his closeness and the look of him in his trunks made the whole experience so much better. The look he gave her made it clear that he was quite happy to be able to openly enjoy her bikini as well. He brought up a hand to rest comfortably on her lower back, and the feel of his touch against her bare skin, openly and in public, was quite pleasing. She leaned into him and wrapped an arm around his waist, feeling his form without reservation or shame, then stood on her toes to give him an incredibly happy kiss on the cheek. It had taken her quite a while to feel comfortable showing affection in public, but the results were well worth the wait.

When they had gotten their fill of the waves, they returned to the beach, where Yukiko sat on the blanket, chatting with Morgana and watching Chie as she continued her aquatic play (Kanji had calmed down a bit, and was standing with Naoto in the water in much the same way as Makoto and Akira had been). She smiled up at the couple as they approached and indicated the bag of snacks and the cooler of drinks. Akira rummaged through the cooler and pulled out an Orange Smash for himself and an Earl Green for Makoto, then grabbed a bag of Tater Longs from the bag. He tasted one of the Tater Longs, let out an approving hum, and offered the bag for Makoto to try. When she looked askance at the snack, he rolled his eyes and lightly tickled her taut tummy, indicating that splitting the bag would have little deleterious effect on her figure. She sighed and relented, tentatively tasting a Tater Long and finding it quite tasty.

As they sat on the blanket, enjoying their drinks and snacks, Chie burst from the waves and ran up to the blanket, putting her hands on her hips and pouting at Yukiko. "C'mooon Yukiko, you can't come to the beach and just sit on a blanket. Come swim with me!" Yukiko sighed, then smiled and reached her arms up towards Chie, who grabbed her, lifted her bridal style, and ran with her back into the water. Makoto turned to Akira with a giggle. Chie and Yukiko were unbelievably cute together.

After a while, Naoto and Kanji joined them and collapsed on the blanket, looking fairly played out. Naoto shook their head as they watched Chie continue to splash around happily with Yukiko. "I don't know where she gets so much energy."

Kanji nodded with a laugh. "No kidding. I like to think I'm in decent shape, but she leaves me in the dust."

Makoto giggled and hummed in agreement. "She's like a little ball of sunshine. In addition, I expect she is quite excited about her birthday."

As the sun began to sink lower in the sky, Chie and Yukiko finally emerged from the water, Chie still looking like she had energy to spare while Yukiko seemed quite tuckered out. The three couples lay on the blankets, with Morgana enjoying more pets from Kanji, who was apparently quite proficient, as they watched the sun set over the ocean, lightly chatting among themselves. During a lull in conversation, Morgana looked around at them. "Do you guys miss it?"

They all shared looks, considering the question. Chie nodded. "Kinda, yeah. I mean, it sucked always being in a life or death struggle, but the power and the sense of community was pretty nice."

The rest nodded in agreement. Naoto raised a finger to their chin in thought. "It was quite the experience, but I'm glad we're able to make our own lives without the threat of intervention by malevolent deities."

Morgana lowered his head sadly. "I guess that makes sense, but I don't really have a life outside of it. I mean, out here I'm just a cat. I sleep, I get fed, sometimes I get to hang out with the Fox, but there isn't much for me to really do."

All eyes turned sympathetically towards the feline Thief. Makoto and Akira shared a slightly guilty look. Their spending so much time alone together may have contributed to Morgana feeling a bit left out and bored. She reached out a hand to scratch behind his ears. "You aren't just a cat, Morgana. You're our friend. I'm sorry if we haven't spent much time with you, but you're important to us, and if you're worried about finding meaning in your life, we're always here to help you work through it. I think there's a lot you can do."

He affectionately headbutted her hand. "Thanks, Queen."


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Good night, Mona.

As dusk set in and the party made the trip from Shichiri to Okina City for dinner and a movie, Makoto and Akira discussed plans to spend some more quality time with Morgana. Having come somewhat out of his funk, the smallest Thief had to admit that, even without the excitement of the Metaverse, his life was pretty eventful (for a "cat"). He had, until summer break, continued his habit of accompanying Akira to school, as well as on his occasional trips to the Central Shopping District, where he would usually spend the day at the shrine with the Fox. It wasn't much, compared to Tokyo, but it gave him something to do, somewhere to be, and someone to be with. With Makoto's arrival, however, their private escapades had been taking up a significant portion of their time. Playing charades with Akemi and Reo was alright (Akemi, especially, clearly adored him), but his closest friends being off so much on their own adventures left him at home without anyone to actually talk to.

Makoto and Akira shared an uncomfortable look, realizing that, while he wouldn't say it outright, Morgana was worried about what effect their relationship would have on their friendship with him. Back in Tokyo, he could at least hang out with one of the other Thieves when Makoto and Akira had a date, or an evening in for Private Time. But as much as he enjoyed spending time with Futaba or Ann (especially Ann), his bond with Akira was one of a kind. The two had been practically inseparable for the entirety of their year in Tokyo, and he was still getting used to the idea of someone else making sure Akira got to bed at a reasonable time (he wasn't exactly sure how Makoto did it, but he had to admit that Akira did seem very refreshed and happy in the morning). His relationship with Makoto, while not on the same level as his bond with Akira, was also special. She was the human he most respected and admired (and occasionally feared a little bit), her intelligence, drive, and sense of Justice setting an example for what humanity was capable of.

Of course he was happy they were in love, but he was uncertain about his place with them. He didn't want to get in the way of their happiness, but he didn't know what to do without them. Would they let him live with them, and if they did, would his presence negatively impact their time together? Makoto reassured him that he was important to their lives, but he didn't want them to sacrifice their own happiness for his benefit. But where else could he go? Would anyone else want him as a room mate? For now, Akemi seemed perfectly happy to have him, but what would he do when Akira returned to Tokyo? If he resumed his residence above Leblanc, there wasn't much space for the three of them, especially when Akira and Makoto wanted their privacy. Would Futaba be okay with him staying with her when he couldn't stay with Akira (with her starting school, she would certainly need someone to ensure that she got a proper amount of sleep)? Would Sojiro be okay, knowing Morgana had human intelligence, with him sharing a bed with his daughter?

He didn't voice these questions and concerns, not wanting to put undue pressure on Akira and Makoto, but he wasn't exactly the best at hiding his emotions, and Makoto quickly deduced the nature of his worries. She softly stroked his neck and gave him a gentle, reassuring smile. "Morgana, you know that you're always welcome with us. I realize that it may be a bit of a challenge, with Akira and I... being intimate, but you have lots of friends who I'm sure would be happy to spend time with you too. You and Futaba seem to be getting along quite well, maybe you can room with her when we're together. I'm sure she would be happy to have you."

He gave her a grateful but questioning look. "Do you really think she'd be okay with that?"

She smiled down at him. "Well, we can find out easily enough." She pulled out her phone and sent a message to Futaba.

Makoto: Futaba, Morgana is a little worried about his living arrangements when Akira returns to Tokyo, considering our relationship. Would you be willing to room with him on nights when we're together?

Futaba: Heck yeah! He can stay with me any time he wants! I have sooo much anime to show him. And tell Mona I love him! ( ˘ ³˘)♥

Makoto showed Morgana the phone, and he gave her a grateful cat smile. "Thanks, Queen! Could you tell her I said thank you, and, um... I love her too?" She giggled as she messaged Futaba back.

Makoto: Morgana says thank you, and that he loves you too.

Futaba: ♥♥♥

As she closed the chat with Futaba, Makoto noticed another message.

Ann: Oh my god, I just realized that the last time we talked I outed your friends. I am so, so sorry. I was just so excited because other than Shiho I don't know any other girls who like girls.

Makoto: Oh, I hadn't thought about it, but I did too when I confirmed what you suspected. They're rather open about their relationship, so I'm not sure it would make much difference, but we should be more careful in the future. And about knowing anyone else... I've recently come to realize that I might like girls too.

...

Ann: FOR REAL!? OH MY GOD, YES!!! 

Ann: Does Akira know?

Makoto: Yes, we've talked about it, and he was quite understanding.

Ann: Wow, that's awesome! He really is one of a kind.

Makoto looked over at Akira, who had Morgana out on his lap and was giving him some affectionate pets as they quietly conversed. She smiled affectionately as she returned her attention to her phone.

Makoto: He certainly is.

Ann: But hey, do you think I could talk to your friends sometime? I have a lot of questions about what to do with Shiho.

Makoto: Of course. We're with them now. Yukiko is driving, but I'll add Chie to the call.

She looked up and tapped Chie on the shoulder. "Would you mind talking to our friend, Ann? She's in a same-sex relationship, and she'd really appreciate having someone with more experience to mentor her regarding what she and her girlfriend should do going forward." Chie turned back and gave her an excited nod.

Chie: Hey, Ann! Makoto tells me you have some questions about your relationship.

Ann: Hi! Yeah, my girlfriend and I are kind of getting serious, and I don't really know anyone else who's in that kind of relationship, so I was sort of hoping that you could give me some advice on what to do with her.

Chie: That's great! congrats! Sure, of course! So, kind of a personal question, but how far have you two gone so far?

Ann: Second base, I guess. We make out a lot, and we've slept in the same bed a bunch of times, but we haven't... you know.

Chie: Okay. Have you been in any other relationships?

Ann: Not really. I was always kind of an outsider. I "dated" a boy for like a week back in middle school, but I don't think that really counts.

Chie: That's fine, everyone's got to start somewhere.

Chie: Even more personal question, but do you masturbate?

...

Ann: Maybe we should start a private chat. I don't know how comfortable I am talking about this with one of our leaders.

Makoto: I was about to suggest the same thing.

Chie: Sure, no prob! 

Ann: And Makoto, thank you so, so much for introducing us!

As Makoto put away her phone, Chie turned to give her a cheeky grin and a wink. "Don't worry, I got this. I'll set her straight... wait, I mean... well, you know what I mean."

 

"Y'know, y'could alwaysh hang out wiff me." Kanji addressed Morgana around a mouthful of okonomiyaki in the reasonably priced but delicious tappanyaki restaurant the party stopped at. He swallowed his bite and continued. "It's a family business, and I'm usually just watching the front, so I don't think anyone's gonna complain about a 'cat' hanging out with me. And you said you and the Fox at the shrine are friends, right? That's right across the street."

Yukiko nodded in agreement and she dipped a shrimp in soy sauce. "Yes, I believe the inn would also be fine with you spending time there when Makoto and Akira require privacy, or are otherwise unavailable, although I'll have to check our permits to be sure. As long as you stay away from any patrons with bad allergies, I don't think there would be a problem."

Chie rolled her eyes in ecstasy as she savored her perfectly prepared steak (she had proudly proclaimed that meat was essential after a successful adventure. Makoto was fairly sure that if she had her way, she would eat steak three times a day, and since it was her birthday, it was her prerogative), before returning to earth with a sigh. "I wish I could bring you on duty with me, but I can't think of any remotely safe way for a 'cat' to ride a bike." Yukiko giggled at the image of a cat riding a motorcycle.

Morgana looked up from the scallop Akira had surreptitiously passed him and gave them all a wide eyed look. "You mean it? You guys would all be okay with me hanging out with you?"

Kanji chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Tch, of course! Any friend of Akira's is a friend of mine! And, uh... you're super soft and cute." The rest nodded, with friendly smiles for their soft and cute companion.

The feline Thief's eyes sparkled with gratitude. "Thanks, you guys! And maybe I could help you out with the fabrics or around the inn."

Naoto raised a curious eyebrow at him. "I find myself quite curious as to what a 'cat' with human intelligence would be capable of."

Makoto gave them a proud smile. "He fixed our car once."

The eyes of the Investigation Team widened in surprise at him.

"Wait, what!?"

"How!?"

"The hell!?"

Akira gave them all a highly Jokery smirk. "He stole a spark plug from the cops trying to tail us to replace ours."

Morgana nodded with an incredibly pleased and proud grin before returning his attention to his scallop.

 

A blizzard swirled above the field of stark white, a crimson stain spreading as the romantic lead bled out in the snow, her lover weeping and singing her praises as a rare beauty, as the man who had been fighting over her staggered away in shame. The cinematography throughout was aesthetically stunning, heightening both the masterfully choreographed fight scenes (the battle in the bamboo forest and the climactic duel in the blizzard were especially magnificent), as well as the emotional resonance of the tragic love triangle. Makoto squeezed Akira's hand, surprised that a wuxia film would have such a heavy focus on romance, and such a classically tragic ending. She glanced over at her companions to find the very surprising sight of Chie crying, as Yukiko patted her hand and leaned over to comfortingly nuzzle her neck.

As they walked back to the cars, they discussed the merits of the film, which Chie praised as a modern classic, as important today as when it was released over a decade ago (she had been ecstatic to find that there happened to be a special showing of such an old film on her birthday). Makoto was inclined to agree, finding the intrigue of false identities and the rebellious House of Flying Daggers standing against a corrupt and brutal government especially appealing. Naoto also enjoyed the mystery, while Morgana loved the expression of humanity's rebellious spirit. Kanji and Yukiko were especially taken with the juxtaposition of incredible beauty and violence. Akira was into the intimacy of the developing relationship between Mei and Jin, and the emotional range expressed by the leads.

Everyone had a wonderful time, and Makoto was struck by how naturally the widely varied personalities of the group meshed. After only a matter of days, they already all felt like her friends, and she hoped that they would be able to stay in touch. She was quite excited to see how they would get along with the rest of the Thieves when they were able to arrange a meetup for all of the known Persona users. She didn't know whether it was incredible luck, or something to do with the nature of those who Awakened, that they all had such deep and rich personalities, and were all such fundamentally good and thoughtful people in their own ways. On the ride back, she laid a very contented head on Akira's shoulder, thinking happily about everything they had done that day. When Chie and Yukiko dropped them off back at Akira's home, they wished Chie a happy birthday one more time, and Yukiko gave them a wink, telling them that she would make sure she had a very happy rest of her birthday.

Makoto collapsed onto the couch in the Kurusu living room and closed her eyes, very happy but quite tired, as Akira went to brew them up a pot of coffee. When he returned with their mugs, he sat beside her and pulled her legs up across his lap, pulled off her socks, and began to give her a very welcome foot rub. She let out an appreciative hum as she took a sip of her drink and leaned back against the cushioned armrest. "You know, Akira, I've been thinking..."

He chuckled and pulled her foot up to plant a kiss on her ankle. "What else is new?"

She giggled at the tickling touch and rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean. Maybe, after we're... together, when we've cleaned up and are getting ready for bed, we should let Morgana come in and sleep with us. You said he slept on your chest every night while you were in Tokyo, and I suspect that he's worried about losing that level of intimacy with you."

He leaned over, and they shared a soft, affectionate kiss. "I think that's a wonderful idea. I'd thought about it, but wasn't sure if you'd be comfortable sharing a bed with him. I think he'll like that."

Once they finished their drinks, Akira led her back up to his room. Both feeling quite relaxed, they decided against trying to think of something new to do, and both wordlessly agreed that a gentle and intimate round of Joker On Top felt right. Makoto had been a bit concerned that all of their experiments would detract from the appeal of their old standards, but quickly found that, if anything, the reverse was the case. Their explorations had only served to heighten and deepen the pleasure they felt in something they both already thoroughly enjoyed. Akira had also clearly picked up some new things to incorporate into his performance, which Makoto found extremely nice. As he ran a series of kisses up her inner thigh, he slid one hand down to gently rub his thumb across her anus, and the spontaneous improvisation of the new within the familiar had Makoto melting comfortably into the mattress, sighing in appreciation as she entwined her fingers in his hair and gently but insistently pulled his head up to the main event.

 

The gentle sound of fountains echoed off marble columns. Makoto lounged on a cushion by the pool in the seraglio, playing a game of Shogi with Hifumi. Soft notes of an unfamiliar stringed instrument danced across the water. Around them were the other members of the harem, Ann and Haru braiding Futaba's hair as they chatted and giggled, Chihaya laying out her Tarot cards with a thoughtful look, Takemi and Ohya laughing as they enjoyed drinks. As Hifumi thought about her next move, she gave Makoto a suggestive smile, tracing her finger across the back of her hand. Then Kawakami entered, dripping with sweat, and gave them a tired nod. "Hifumi, Master Kurusu desires you in his chambers." Hifumi nodded and stood, casting a wistful look back at Makoto as she left for the private chambers.

Makoto awoke with a start and rolled onto her back with a groan. It was still fully dark, and Akira was fast asleep, while Morgana lay curled up peacefully at their feet. She let out a frustrated huff. Apparently, while her conscious mind accepted Akira's explanation about Kawakami, her subconscious would not be so easily appeased. She couldn't shake the feeling that, if he had wanted to, he could have had any or all of the beautiful women he had befriended in Tokyo, most of whom she considered far more attractive and fun than herself. Between his seemingly limitless charm and the Wild Card's tendency to collect Confidants, it felt practically certain that all of them must have been attracted to him at some point. How was it possible that he chose her, and only her?

She hated this feeling. She wanted to trust him, but was that just her naive and lovestruck heart overriding her better judgment? Or were her current fears just paranoid jealousy? As much as she had doubted her own appeal early in their relationship, she had never worried about his faithfulness before. She looked over at him, lying on his side facing her with a calm smile, his arm still draped gently over her, and gave him a sad frown. She didn't want these persistent fears to ruin the only relationship she had ever been in, with the man who made her happier than she had ever considered possible.

Realizing that if her innermost self was going to be a hindrance to her and Akira's happiness, she had the means to confront it, she took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and tried to clear her mind. The persistence of Akira at the center of her thoughts remained, but it was different now. The image of him getting a massage from Ms. Kawakami arose unbidden and refused to leave, joined over time by images manufactured by her imagination. Akira and Kawakami, doing all of the things Makoto had done with him, attaching to her core idea of him, corrupting her thoughts and taunting her. Realizing that this was only making things worse, she gave up with a disappointed sigh.

Analysing her options, she determined that if communicating with Anat wasn't possible, there was someone else who might be able to help put her fears to rest. She carefully moved Akira's arm and sat up, reaching down to nudge Morgana. He woke up with a yawn and, noticing her unease, gave her a concerned, sleepy look. "Something the matter, Queen?"

She gave him a thoughtful frown as she considered how to ask. "Morgana, do you know if anything... happened, when Akira called Ms. Kawakami over?"

He shook his head, confused. "Happened? Like what? I don't think so. I didn't have anywhere else to go in the evening, so I was there every time. Joker always seemed kind of frustrated about paying 5000 yen to not have the room cleaned, but he could tell it was important. It was pretty boring though. Mostly she would just take a nap when she came over. She seemed pretty exhausted. Sometimes they would talk about her situation. We figured out pretty quick that she was in trouble, so Joker tried to get her to open up about what the problem was. After we helped her, she sort of seemed like she wanted to ask him out, but he told her right away that he already had a girlfriend, and he had just wanted to help her because he could tell something was wrong."

She gave him a relieved smile and scratched his chin. "Thank you, Morgana. What about when she, um, gave him massages?"

He let out a grumpy huff. "Yeah, I was pretty pissed about that too. I told him he should really get a good night's sleep after we went to the Metaverse, but he said he felt much lighter and more energized after, and he had a lot he wanted to get done in the evening." He grumbled and did an unflattering impression of Akira. "'Can't sleep now, Lord Bedtime. Too much to do.'"

Makoto giggled at the disgruntled feline, then patted her tummy as an invitation. He gave her a surprised look. "For real?"

She nodded, and he climbed up onto her and curled up into a ball. "Goodnight, Queen."

She rested a hand on him, slowly petting him as she drifted back to sleep. "Goodnight, Mona."

Makoto was seven, and her dad had just given her the biggest, best Buchi-kun plushie she had ever seen. She beamed as she hugged the soft, squishy panda to her chest, feeling on top of the world as her dad gave her a proud smile.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Trust and Comfort

Makoto and Akira dropped off Morgana at Tatsumi Textiles, after saying hello to the Fox at the shrine. As they walked along the Samegawa Flood Plain, Akira turned to Makoto with a concerned look. “Morgana mentioned that you were having trouble sleeping. He said you looked like you had a nightmare and asked if something bad happened with Kawakami.” Makoto’s head snapped to him, wide eyed. He turned away sheepishly. “He’s… innocent about a lot of human activity. And... he can’t really keep a secret. Not if he’s worried about you.”

She let out a sigh. “I had a bad dream. I was… in your harem, along with The Girls and all your other female confidants.” Seeing him look surprisingly hurt, she quickly shook her head. “Akira, I trust you, really. It’s just...” Her expression dropped. “...with new information, it’s hard for me not to… overanalyze, and assess possible scenarios, even if I would... rather not. I… wanted third party verification, so I asked Morgana about it, and he put my fears to rest. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you or make you think I don’t trust you.”

Akira shook his head sadly. “Please, don’t apologize, Makoto. This is my fault and I understand how it’s going to be a lot harder for you to trust me now. I’m just… pretty pissed at myself for giving you cause to worry about whether you can trust me in the first place. I know how important trust is to you, and I think you know how important it is to me too. We’ve trusted each other with our lives, and if I can’t be worthy of your trust, then… I’m not worthy of you. I’m sorry, Makoto.”

She stopped and took his hand, halting him, turning him to face her and giving him a stern look. “Akira, don’t say that. You are the bravest, kindest, and sweetest person I know, and you are very much ‘worthy’ of me. And you have me, entirely. I love you more than I ever thought possible, and I won’t let this get in the way of that. We can work through it in a mature fashion. And I do know how important it is to you, so I want to make it quite clear, Akira.” She stood on her toes and gave him a soft, gentle kiss. “I. Trust. You.”

He smiled and leaned down to give her a grateful kiss in return, then thought for a moment. “Sojiro has my probation diary. I wrote about what I did and who I was with every day. When you go back to Tokyo, tell him I asked him to let you borrow it. You can read what I wrote about my own activities, and everything about the Thieves (although I got a bit… creative describing anything to do with official business), and about yourself. All I ask is that you don’t read about my other confidants without their permission. I take their confidentiality and their consent seriously, and I trust you to do the same.”

She gave him a warm smile and squeezed his hand. “Akira, you don’t need to do that. I really mean it, I trust you. I guess I was just a little afraid that even if you didn’t have feelings for your other confidants, it’s hard to imagine they weren’t attracted to such a handsome, charming young man.” She frowned seriously. “I worry a bit that… you could replace me pretty easily.”

He shook his head and squeezed her hand back. “I know I don’t have to, but I want you to see that I mean it when I say you’re more special to me than I can express. Hopefully, seeing how I wrote about you will show you that no one compares to you, and no one could ever replace you.”

She sighed, then nodded. “Very well. I suppose that I would like a look into that inscrutable, irresistible mind of yours.” She resumed walking, still holding his hand. After a moment she raised her free hand to her chin in thought. “One thing does bother me a bit. I realize that comparing my abilities to a licensed massage therapist is a bit unreasonable, but I can’t abide the thought that my massages would compare unfavorably to Ms. Kawakami’s for you. So...” 

She turned to him with the terrifying combination of the Niijima Clan Glare and the Kurusu Clan Smirk, a move that she had perfected to a frightening degree. “...I want to give you a proper, deep tissue massage. After all, we were interrupted last time before I finished with you.”

Akira gulped audibly and turned to give her a nervous look.

 

“Guuuuuuh...”

Akira attempted to vocalize some form of surrender, managing only a weak groan. Kawakami had been surprisingly strong, which was part of what made her massages so effective. Makoto, however, was significantly stronger, and was clearly taking great pleasure in kneading Akira into a paste. He had intentionally toned down the force when teaching her, having a good idea what she was capable of, but this time she had done some independent online research (giving him some very scary smirks as she did).

While the rational part of his brain knew (when it could function through his protesting muscles) that this was a by-the-book, if intense, deep tissue massage, it still felt like she was exacting some measure of vengeance on his back (which he couldn’t exactly blame her for), while ensuring that the first thing he would think of when he thought about massages would be her.

It was true that there was a fair bit of satisfaction for Makoto as Akira lay melting into a puddle at her mercy. His little moans as she gave him a by-the-book (but intense) deep tissue massage were adorable. He was honestly being a bit of a baby about it (Makoto had the opportunity for such a massage once when vacationing with Sis, and found it quite nice), but she couldn’t say she didn’t love his reactions. This was for his own good (his back was a stressed out mess, and Makoto deduced that he might have been carrying some anxiety regarding the Kawakami Situation as well), and he could take a bit of discomfort in service of his health. 

As she went to town on a stubborn knot in his lower back, he mustered up the strength to form intelligible words. “C-curryyyy….”

She stopped with a giggle, smirking down at him as she reached a hand up to tousle his hair. “A bit too much?” He nodded weakly into the mattress, eliciting another giggle. “The website said to really get in there and work the muscles, and I know you’re tough.” She patted his back. “But maybe I did get a little overly enthusiastic. How do you feel?” 

As the fire in his muscles subsided, he shook out his shoulders and neck, finding them incredibly loose and relaxed. “Amazing, actually! I still prefer it a little softer, but that really worked!”

“Good, because I’ve got some other ideas for you.” She reached down and pulled off her white summer blouse, unhooked her bra, and leaned down with a grin to press into his back with her breasts as she gently but firmly rubbed soothing circles into his burning shoulders with her thumbs and palms, and nuzzled her cheek against his neck. As her healing touch cooled and caressed his muscles, he let out such a pleased moan that Makoto nearly laughed out loud. 

When she was satisfied that she had fully relaxed his muscles, she smiled and rose off of him. Rolling him onto his back, she tousled his hair and leaned down to give him a playful but passionate kiss, giggling at his inhuman levels of relaxation. She (reasonably gracefully) slipped off her leggings and panties, then leaned down to give him a deep Queen kiss, pulling back afterwards with a smirk. “If you liked that, you’re going to love this.” She spun and lowered herself onto his face, then leaned down to unzip his jeans and pull them and his boxers down, and slipped his cock, which was already quite excited from her ministrations thus far, into her mouth.

To say Akira was surprised would be an understatement, but he was also highly adaptable, and quickly returned the favor. The position, and the height difference, made the angle a bit awkward, but they managed well enough. The one negative, Makoto found, was the view. She very much preferred being eye to abs with Akira, and looking up at his ecstatic face, to getting an up close look at his balls. Akira, on the other hand, quickly found an advantage to this arrangement, as she could feel him smirk against her pussy before darting his tongue up to give her butt a quick lick as his fingers continued their work, eliciting a gasp around his cock before she relaxed onto him.

Well, two could play at this game. Keeping one hand wrapped around the base of his cock, she reached the other down to play with his balls, gently squeezing them, which he seemed to like quite a bit. Then she slid one finger lower, rubbing a circle around his anus before applying veeeery gentle pressure, which he clearly liked A Lot, as his cock instantly got even harder (impressive in and of itself) and he tensed with a gasp, eliciting a giggle-hum from Makoto that, of course, drove him even more wild.

When she had determined that they were both adequately aroused, Makoto sat up and rose off of Akira’s face, turning around to lean down and give him a confident, assertive kiss, before straddling his lap and reaching down to ease him into her. Once he was in, she pressed her hips down to the hilt, letting her butt rest on him and rocking her hips forward and back with an intensity that was surprising even to her. If she had been worried about her being uniquely special to him, she was now intent to prove to herself just how well she knew his pleasure, and how much ecstasy she could bring him.

He made it abundantly clear that she could bring him more ecstasy than either of them thought possible, as he brought his hands up to grip her hips with an intensity that bordered on desperation, holding her flush against him as he thrust up into her with all his might. She bent down until her breasts rested against his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him a long, passionate kiss as he brought one hand up to stroke her hair, the other still gripping her hip. They gasped and panted into each other’s mouths, both wanting with their entire being to give all of themselves, and to show exactly how much they desired one another.

They both picked up the pace as they sensed impending mutual climax, and their bodies shuddered hard as they came together. For a long moment after, Makoto stayed on top of him, letting him remain inside her until his sated cock slid out on its own, as they shared soft, satisfied kisses and looked into one another’s eyes with unmistakable adoration. Finally, she rolled off of him, lying on her side next to him and snuggling up, her hand resting on his stomach as they both panted in ecstatic exhaustion. He rolled onto his side to face her and stroked her hip as she nuzzled into his chest, both of them feeling incomparably close and comfortable and happy.

Makoto could feel Akira’s grin as he rested his chin on top of her head and breathlessly whispered. “That was, far and away, the best massage of my life.”

She giggled and gave him a tired, playful slap on the chest.

 

After a satisfactory period of cuddling, deciding to maintain the day’s theme of Extreme Relaxation, Makoto sent a message to Yukiko.

Makoto: Do you think it would be alright if Akira and I came by to use the onsen?

Yukiko: Of course! It’s well before normal operating hours, so I can schedule in some time for my favorite VIPs. Just don’t make too much of a mess. ;)

Makoto: Thank you so much! And don’t worry, we just had some Private Time, so our intentions with your onsen are entirely pure. 

Yukiko: Well, I’ll let you use it anyway.

Makoto: Thanks again! See you soon!

There was something wonderfully intimate about soaking in the hot water alone with Akira. It had all of the charms of showering with him (getting clean, soaking in hot water, and being naked with him were three of Makoto’s favorite relaxation techniques), here magnified by the small but very nice traditional onsen of the inn, which was both aesthetically pleasing and gave them much more room to play around. As she sat more or less in his lap as they half floated in the shallow water, she leaned back and nuzzled her head against his shoulder. “Wash me.”

His entire body, wherever it made contact with hers (which was quite a bit), radiated his grin as he reached over to grab soap and began lathering his hands. “With pleasure, my Queen.”

As he lathered her up, he gently massaged her back and shoulders, returning the favor from earlier. Once she was sufficiently soaped up, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer, pressing his chest to her back and rubbing slow circles (perhaps not the most efficient means of washing, but certainly one of the most enjoyable). She hummed her contented appreciation and leaned into him, letting him plant soft kisses along her neck.

When he had finished with her back, he lifted her and turned her to face him, setting her down on his lap with her legs wrapped around his waist. He gave her an incredibly pleased smirk as he began lathering from her shoulders down to her collarbones down to her breasts, as she sighed in simultaneous relaxation and excitement. After soaping her up, he again wrapped his arms around her waist, resting one hand just above her butt and the other between her shoulder blades as he pulled them together, her chin resting comfortably on his shoulder as he rubbed their bodies together in the same slow circles.

Once he was done with her upper body, they shared a very comfortable and intimate kiss, then he set her down beside him, pulled her legs up onto his lap, and began lathering and massaging from her thighs down to her toes. Makoto was hard pressed to determine who was enjoying the whole process more, as it was hard to imagine him deriving anywhere near as much pleasure from it as she was, but he certainly seemed to be, judging by how happy he looked about all of it.

When she was immaculately clean, she gave him a smirk and picked up the soap, sliding around behind him as she lathered her hands and beginning to give him the same treatment he had just given her. As she pressed her breasts to his soapy back and wrapped her arms around his waist, running her hands across his abs, she could see why he had looked so content doing her. Both sides of this equation felt wonderful, and were it not for a combination of apprehension about sex in a public place and respect for Yukiko’s wishes that they not leave too much of a mess, she would have taken him then and there.

After their ablutions were complete and they were both as clean as could be, they lounged in the water, entwined in each other’s arms, Akira idly tracing circles across her hip with his fingertips as Makoto softly squeezed his toned thigh. Feeling tremendously comfortable and open, Makoto turned her head to nuzzle into Akira’s chest. “You know, I only ever had one crush before you. It was back in middle school, and he was the top of our class. He was smart, athletic, and very handsome. I was quite impressed.”

Akira rested his cheek on her head with a hum. “What happened?”

She let out a frustrated sigh. “When I confessed to him, he laughed at me. He said he had it all, and could get with any girl he wanted. Why would he want to date a nerd? That day I learned that someone can be attractive and intelligent, but still be a huge jerk.”

He grumbled and held her closer, bringing a hand up to softly stroke her hair. “I’d like to have a word with him.”

She giggled and nuzzled further into him. “I’d rather you didn’t. I don’t want you going back to jail. Besides, it all worked out for the best. You being my first boyfriend makes me so, so happy.” She leaned up to kiss his jaw with a contented smile.

He hummed and thought for a moment. “I guess it was a little like that for me too. There was a girl I liked back in middle school. Smart, nice, and pretty. I was way too shy to confess though. We talked occasionally and got along well enough, but once she started dating a member of the soccer club I concluded that I probably wasn’t her type anyway.”

She laughed and gave him a few soft kisses on his collarbones. “It’s hard to imagine you being shy. You really weren’t attracted to any of the other women you met in Tokyo, though?”

He shrugged with a sigh. “Well, before I met you, I did very briefly (emphasis on briefly) have a bit of a crush on Tae.”

She looked up at him with a surprised and amused grin. “Dr. Takemi? Well, I suppose I can see why. She’s very smart and very pretty, and has such a daring style.”

He nodded with a chuckle. “Yeah, but around the third time she joked about how whatever she was giving me had a sixty percent chance to kill me, I decided her sense of humor is a bit too dark for me. Anyway, there’d probably be all kinds of ethical concerns about a doctor dating her test subject, especially a high schooler. Besides, I’m much happier being a study partner than a guinea pig.”

She laughed again and shook her head into his chest. “Guinea pig? For real? Although I can’t exactly say I’m happy about you serving as a test subject for experimental medical treatments, I suppose it was ultimately for a good cause.”

He shrugged with a sigh. “We needed the medicine. Besides, it’s not like it was the most dangerous thing I did to try and help people.”

She nodded with an approving hum. “She was the only one then?”

He thought for another moment. “Ann isn’t really my type, and I kind of assumed she and Ryuji would end up together…” He looked down at her with a smirk. “...There was this incredibly cute girl who used to stalk me though.”

Makoto groaned and buried her face in Akira’s chest.

 

After their bath (which they both agreed was one of, if not the, best they had ever had), Makoto and Akira returned to Tatsumi Textiles to pick up Morgana for lunch. When they entered, Morgana hopped up onto the counter and greeted them excitedly. “Joker! Queen! You’ve gotta see this! Kanji, show them what we made!”

Kanji nodded at the feline with a grin and pulled a small patchwork bed out from behind the counter. “We had a ton of scrap cloth and some stuffing from making dolls, and business was pretty slow, so we decided to do a little project together.”

“I picked out the pieces and arranged them, and Kanji did the sewing!” Morgana strutted proudly around the bed before hopping on and kneading it with his paws.

Akira patted the bed and nodded in approval. “Very nice. I didn’t know you wanted your own bed, Mona.”

Morgana shook his head, then looked away sheepishly. “It’s… not for me...”

Makoto smiled knowingly and scratched behind his ear. “It’s for the Fox, isn’t it?”

He gave her an expectant look. “Do you… think she’ll like it?”

She giggled and nodded as she continued petting him. “I’m sure she’ll love it. Do you want to bring it to her now?”

He gave her hand an excited headbutt. “Yes, please! Could one of you carry it?” He hopped off the bed and Makoto picked it up, giving it a squeeze and letting out an approving hum at the softness and the fine stitching. 

The four of them brought it across the street to the shrine and looked around for the Fox. After a few moments, a familiar howl heralded her appearance on the shrine’s roof, before she bounded off and landed next to them. She gave the bed in Makoto’s hands a curious look, then turned to Morgana. “Yip?”

He gave her a nervous glance, and Makoto could swear that he was blushing under his fur. “It’s, um, for you. Kanji and I made it.”

The Fox hopped up onto her hind legs with an excited bark and ran a figure eight around Morgana and Kanji before stopping and giving them an appreciative bow. “Yip.”

Morgana returned her bow, then turned to Kanji. “She says thanks, and it’s nice to see you again.”

The Fox approached Kanji and lowered her head. Kanji gave her a slightly confused grin. “Oh, uh, no prob. And it’s nice to see you, too.” 

He scratched behind her ear. The Fox didn’t seem to mind. “Yip.”

After finding a suitable spot for the Fox’s new bed where it wouldn’t get rained on, the group made their way to Souzai Daigaku, where the humans each ordered croquettes and Morgana and the Fox shared a steak skewer (no one other than them seemed to notice the Fox, which was peculiar but welcome).

When they finished, the Fox bowed to them once more. “Yip.” 

“She says thank you for the steak. It was delicious.”


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Going back

“I think… I should probably head back tomorrow.” Makoto’s tone made it clear that she would much rather stay with Akira forever, but she had other responsibilities she had to attend to. “I have quite a bit of work to do at the university library before the next term starts, and I need to fit in some extra hours at Crossroads. I wish I could stay, but there’s so much to do.”

Akira raised their joined hands to his lips and kissed her wrist. “Don’t worry about it, Makoto. I’ll be coming up to Tokyo in a few weeks, and I think we’ve done just about all there is to do in a small town.”

She sighed and stopped, turning him to face her and giving him a loving look. “Akira, this past week has been the most wonderful of my life. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so relaxed and so happy. Thank you so much, for everything.” She stood on her toes to give him a soft, affectionate kiss.

When she pulled back, he brought up a hand to tilt her chin up and give her a gentle, passionate kiss of his own. “It’s been the best week of my life too. I’d felt pretty stifled here compared to Tokyo, but you made me fall in love with my home all over again. I think we should start a tradition, and come up here every summer.”

She nodded happily. “That sounds wonderful! And I hope that our friends here can come visit Tokyo sometime. I’m sure they would get along well with the Thieves.”

He returned her nod, then thought for a moment. “How’s Lala-chan?”

She giggled at the thought of their boss. “As lovely as always. You should have seen her grin when I walked into Crossroads. She hired me on the spot, no doubt in large part just to have someone to gossip about you with. Bar tending has been quite the experience, but I rather like it. I get to meet so many interesting people, and I really think it’s helped with my interpersonal skills and broadened my horizons. We get the occasional troublemaker, but nothing I can’t handle.”

He chuckled and cupped her cheek affectionately. “I pity the drunk who gets in the way of you doing your job. When I get back to Tokyo we should get some evenings on together. I’m sure Lala-chan would love that.”

She smiled and nuzzled her cheek into his hand. “Mm, that sounds lovely. I’m a bit apprehensive about her teasing me about what we did all week, but she’ll be very happy to hear that you’re doing well.”

 

When they returned to Akira’s home, Morgana immediately hopped out of his bag and onto Akemi’s armchair, curling up for a nap. One thing that had become clear about him was that while he wanted activity and meaning in his life, his sleep schedule was very catlike. In Tokyo, when he wasn’t occupied with Official Thieves Business, he spent much of his day napping in Akira’s bag or desk, occasionally waking up to help him with a question or point out a new food he smelled. Content with his adventure with Kanji and the Fox, he was happy to take a catnap and give the couple some alone time.

As Makoto and Akira sat cuddling on the couch and sipping coffee, Akemi came in, flipping through the mail. She let out an intrigued hum and handed a letter to Akira, who scanned it quickly, then broke into a massive grin and handed it to Makoto. She immediately recognized the letterhead of Shujin Academy, and her eyes widened as she began reading.

Mr. Kurusu, 

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted for transfer to Shujin Academy beginning with our fall term. We at Shujin pride ourselves on both academic excellence and public service, and your records from both your prior year with us and your time at Yasogami High indicate that you will be an outstanding addition to our student body. Please find enclosed a list of suggested materials for the upcoming semester.

It went on like that with all the standard formalities, but at the end was a bit of a surprise.

We hope you will enjoy your time at Shujin Academy.

Sadayo Kawakami, Principal

And under the signature was a short note in Ms. Kawakami’s handwriting.

Welcome back, Akira!

Makoto turned to Akira with wide eyes, struggling to process the level of excitement this news brought her. Akira smiled and leaned in to give her a quick peck on the cheek. “When I come back to Tokyo in a few weeks, it’ll be for good.”

As the information hit home for her, she threw herself into Akira’s arms, tackling him onto the couch, laughing with immeasurable joy and smothering him with kisses.

When she had regained her composure (still more or less lying on top of him) she hummed thoughtfully. “You must have been planning this for months. Why didn’t you tell me you were transferring?”

He disentangled one hand and booped her on the nose. “1, I didn’t want to disappoint you if it fell through, and B, I believe we agreed that pleasant surprises were fair game.”

She giggled and nuzzled into his neck. “When should we tell the others?”

He hummed as he returned her cuddles. “Futaba will probably find out on her own, but the rest I want to wait until I get to Tokyo. I want to see their faces.”

She nodded her agreement, relaxing onto him with a tremendously contented sigh.

 

When Makoto told her about her plan to return to Tokyo, Akemi insisted that they should invite their friends over for a proper going away dinner, where she and Akira could debut a special dish they had been working on. As Akira left to begin working on the curry, Akemi scurried off, then returned with a pair of watercolors. 

One was a night sky, with subtle hints of deep blues and purples punctuated with bright pinpricks of stars and a radiant moon, with two small figures holding hands as they looked up in awe of the nocturnal wonder. The other was the lake in the middle of the woods, with sunlight dancing across the water and birds peeking from the reeds by the shore, as a couple lay on the beach. On each, next to Akemi’s signature was a space that was clearly intended for a short piece of writing.

“These are the ones I made based on your poetry. I’d like you to write your haiku on them and sign them. I’ll let you pick which one you want to give to Akira and which one you want to keep.”

Makoto nodded and quickly ran to get the notebook with her poems. When she returned, Akemi handed her a brush and ink, and she began to write in her neat but elegant script.

On the night sky:

Summer moon, flood plains  
Meant and believed all you said  
Confirmed with a kiss

Your calm, loving eyes  
As the cool evening breeze  
Embraced us gently

Countless stars shining  
Lesson in astronomy  
Lying on the grass

And on the lake:

Sunlight on the lake  
A discussion of ethics  
As you held me close

Above unknown depths  
You make me comfortable  
Curious nibbles

Hydrangea blossoms  
As far as the eye can see  
And on both your ears

She signed her name next to Akemi’s, then thought for a moment before adding to the night sky:

By Akemi Kurusu and Makoto Niijima, for Akira Kurusu

They shared satisfied smiles, then Akemi pulled out a poster tube and carefully rolled up the portrait of Akira and the painting of the couple asleep on the couch. “We’ll have to wait for the ink to dry on the last one, but don’t forget to bring these with you.”

 

Introduction: The Choice to Act

Regardless of what one thinks of the actions of the Phantom Thieves, they represent a core principle of any serious ethical philosophy: having found the power to change the hearts of the evil, they were faced with a terrifying choice. To act was to risk their lives or their freedom, while to remain passive was to accept the suffering they could prevent. Both Utilitarian calculation and Idealistic categorical imperatives are, ultimately, rationalizations of this fundamental decision, the Choice to Act, which must be made by each individual on their own terms. In this work we will examine the position of the Ethical Individual within a suffering world, and how this choice can fundamentally reshape reality, through the example of the Phantom Thieves.

Reo gave Makoto an inquiring look. “It’s still rather rough, but what do you think?”

After Akemi joined Akira in the kitchen, Makoto had quickly messaged their Inaba friends about her planned departure and their invitation to dinner, just as quickly receiving their agreement to come. As she wrote a bit more poetry (this time focusing on the more… physical dimensions of her relationship with Akira, to be shown only to him), Reo returned from work. When she informed him of her plans, he nodded with an understanding smile, then pulled out one of his own notebooks to show her the beginning of his latest work, on the Ethical questions raised by the Phantom Thieves.

Makoto gave him a bashful smile. “It’s a bit surreal to be the subject of a serious Ethical treatise.”

Reo nodded with a chuckle. “I suppose so, but I believe that you kids are a fine example of ethical choice, and could serve as an excellent point within a range of philosophical discussions.”

She hummed thoughtfully. “That’s very flattering, thank you. I certainly hope that we could serve as an inspiration for others to act on their own Justice. It does have a bit of a different tone from your other work.”

He tapped a finger to his chin. “Well, my interpretation of Buddhist ontology informs many of my views, but I’d hardly consider myself dogmatic. This is more in the vein of the Existential principle of individual agency and choice, which I felt was a good fit for many of the ideas and problems you and your friends dealt with.”

Makoto couldn’t help but giggle. “Akira can be quite the Existentialist when we debate. I tend more towards Post-Structuralism, but he does raise many valid arguments, and helps me think about problems in a different way.”

 

Chie and Yukiko, Kanji and Naoto arrived just in time for dinner, exchanging friendly greetings with the Kurusus. The combination of their arrival and the smell of food awakened Morgana, who yawned and nodded a sleepy hello at them. “Oh, hey guys! Mm, something smells amazing.”

Chie giggled and ran over to give him a playful scratch behind the ears. “Hey, Mona! How was hanging out with Kanji?”

He gave her an appreciative nudge. “Awesome! Kanji and I made a bed for the Fox at the shrine!”

She gave him an excited smile. “That’s great! I bet she loved it!”

Akemi and Reo raised their eyebrows and gave her a knowing smile, while Makoto, Yukiko, and Naoto sighed in resignation. When Chie looked up from Morgana to see everyone’s attention once again on her, she let out a pained groan. “Aw crap, I did it again, didn’t I?”

Makoto rolled her eyes with a giggle. “Well, I don’t suppose it could really hurt.”

Reo hummed thoughtfully as he gave the Investigation Team a curious look. “So, you’re all Persona users too. Aside from Naoto, I know none of you were in Tokyo last year, so I doubt you’re Phantom Thieves, which would imply that your powers were related to another incident. Am I correct?”

Naoto nodded. “Indeed. Do you recall the events five years ago in this town?”

Reo tapped a finger to his chin with a hum of understanding. “Of course. Yukiko, Kanji, and Naoto, you were all involved in those mysterious disappearances, weren’t you. That would make sense. There was never an adequate explanation for how you were found or how Adachi was caught. Then the Metaverse was the missing piece all along.”

The Investigation Team nodded in confirmation, and Akemi gave them an excited chuckle and put her hands on her hips. “Oh my, how exciting! I had no idea our little town had such interesting young people. Well, I’m sure you all have much more to discuss, but let’s do so over dinner. You all must be hungry, and we don’t want the food getting cold.”

 

While Akira and Akemi brought out dinner, Makoto and Reo grabbed enough chairs from the kitchen to accommodate everyone (the living room being the best option to comfortably fit them all), with Chie and Kanji insisting on helping. 

The secretive dish Akira and Akemi had been collaborating on turned out to be salmon curry, with Akemi grilling the fish and Akira making the sauce. As everyone tried their first bite, there was a chorus of appreciative hums, and an ecstatic exclamation from Morgana. “Oh my god, this is the best thing I’ve ever eaten!”

The rest nodded in agreement, complimenting the chefs on one of the best dishes any of them had ever had. Akira and Akemi shared proud smiles and thanked them, assuring them that their enjoyment was the highest praise they could ask for.

As they all settled in to their meal, Makoto, Naoto, and Reo quietly discussed the theoretical ontology of the Metaverse, which went over even Akira and Yukiko’s heads. Yukiko instead questioned Akira and Akemi regarding their culinary prowess, discussing the possibility of them sharing some of their recipes with the chefs at the inn. Chie, Kanji, and Morgana were all far too engrossed in the delicious food to say much of anything. 

When they were all finished and the dishes cleared away, Akira brewed coffee for all of them, and they continued their discussions, with Akemi and Reo very interested to hear everything about their experiences in the Metaverse, and very impressed by the courage and compassion demonstrated by their young friends. 

While they would have been happy to talk all night, as dusk deepened into dark and Chie began to doze on her shoulder, Yukiko suggested they should head back to ensure the inn was still intact. With promises to come visit Makoto and Akira in Tokyo soon, the Investigation Team said their farewells.

 

“You know, Akira, your parents are such lovely people, I don’t know why you never talked about them while you were in Tokyo.”

Akira glanced up from doing the dishes with Makoto (the “you’re on vacation” card would only work on her so often) and gave her an uncomfortable look. “We… weren’t exactly on speaking terms.”

She gave him a surprised and confused look. “Really? I can’t imagine they would believe the official report over their own son, and even if they did, they don’t seem like the type to cut off communication over a criminal record.”

He shook his head sadly. “They didn’t. I did. When I told them what really happened, they were proud of me. They said ‘you did the right thing, but in a world full of human evil, sometimes doing the right thing gets you hurt.’ I told them ‘your bullshit ethics ruined my fucking life.’”

Makoto’s mouth dropped open in shock. “Akira, you didn’t!”

He nodded with a grimace. “I was scared, and hurt, and angry, and doubting my own sense of Justice, and I took it out on them. When I was sent to Tokyo, I told them that I was trying to salvage some semblance of a life, and didn’t want to hear from them. Of course, within a week they were proven right, but at that point I was involved in a ‘criminal organization’ and didn’t want to implicate them, and it only got harder over time to figure out what to say to bridge the gap between us. So we just... didn’t talk.”

Makoto gave him a sad, understanding nod, dried her hands, and squeezed his shoulder affectionately. “Well, I certainly understand how hard it can be to reconcile with family after something like that, but I hope you’ve apologized to them.”

He nodded with a small smile and brought one hand up to squeeze hers. “The first thing I did when I got back was tell them that they had been right all along, and that being sent to Tokyo was the best thing that ever happened to me, and I was sorry for blowing up at them and for doubting my own Justice. They just smiled and hugged me and told me they were glad to have me back.”

 

Makoto and Akira’s last night together in Inaba was almost beyond description. They had been studying each other all week, and were intent to demonstrate their mastery of the subject in this final exam, and to leave on a note of total satisfaction. Both intensely desired one more chance to fully explore one another and to give all the pleasure they could before another month apart.

Deciding that 69 was a bit of an awkward position, and there was no rush, they took turns and took their time on the oral section of their exam, with Akira taking the initiative and beginning with his gentle but passionate technique. As Makoto cooled down after she came for the first time, she showed her appreciation and returned the favor, demonstrating her own quick mastery of the technique, but careful not to push him over the edge. She wasn’t anywhere near done with him.

When they were early in the exploratory phase of their sexual relationship, they had experimented with seeing how many times Akira could make Makoto climax, leaving her nearly catatonic. Now though, they had gotten far better at reading one another and pacing themselves, and Makoto soon lost count of how many times she came (in no small part because her brain was being overwhelmed with pleasure so often). Akira’s stamina training was clearly having some very welcome effects.

In the end (no pun intended) Makoto even left the back entrance open for Akira (giving herself an enema beforehand was her least favorite part, more from embarrassment than discomfort, but referring to it as “leaving the back entrance open” made it funny enough for her not to mind. She wouldn’t let him in without knowing she was as clean as possible, and it was well worth it for the results). This time they kept it on the gentle side, both conscious of the long ride she would have the next day and because, as accepting as the Kurusus had been, having them hear her scream his name as she slammed her ass down onto his cock was not the way she wanted them to remember her. 

After a long, long time, the couple lay together, entirely spent and content, lightly tracing their fingertips across each other’s bodies, committing their contours to memory, occasionally sharing tired, soft kisses and quiet whispers of satisfaction and adoration. They gradually drifted off to sleep, instinctively cuddling closer together as they shared one more pleasant dream of each other.

 

After one last long kiss and an embrace she wished would never end, Makoto hopped back on her bike and began the long ride back to Tokyo, with all the precious mementos of her visit stowed carefully in her paniers. The trip was bittersweet, the weather as perfect as her ride up, but feeling distinctly like leaving heaven to travel back into an imperfect world of responsibilities and deadlines. She contented herself with lovingly engraving every priceless moment into her memory, the wellspring that would hold her over until she could see him and touch him and kiss him (and fuck him) again.

When she arrived at Leblanc, Makoto was greeted by the rest of the Thieves, all happy to see her again and excited to hear about Akira and Morgana (less so Ryuji for the last part). While Futaba gave her a smug, knowing grin that brought a bit of a blush to her cheeks, Ann quickly ran over to give her a hug and a whisper. “Thanks again for introducing me to Chie and Yukiko! Things are going awesome with Shiho!”

Ryuji was very pleased to hear that Akira was keeping up his running, while Yusuke was awestruck at Akemi’s paintings, praising the gentle and thoughtful use of color and lamenting that he had yet to capture the Essence of True Love in such a way in his own work. He insisted that when Akira returned to Tokyo, the couple pose for a painting expressing the beauty of their embrace. Makoto agreed, on condition that they would not be nude, to which he reluctantly assented.

Once the regulars left, the Thieves discussed the other important news, asking Makoto all about the Persona users they had discovered in Inaba. Makoto described the fiery, upbeat Chie, the reserved (if at times raunchy) Yukiko, the tough but sweet Kanji, and the brilliant, enigmatic Naoto. When she had told them all she publicly could about her friends from Inaba, it was unanimously decided to set up a combined group chat for the Phantom Thieves and the Investigation Team.

When the rest of the Thieves reluctantly departed, Makoto approached Sojiro, who gave her a knowing grin and held up a small notebook. “The Kid said you might want to take a look at this.”

 

April 23

Stopped by the school library. Seems like I’m not welcome there either. Met the student council president. She was studying and didn’t want to talk, but at least she treated me like a regular student instead of a monster. Others were whispering about her too, and she seemed kind of lonely.

May 18

The student council president is following me. I think the principal told her to investigate if I’m getting up to any delinquency. I should probably be more worried, but she’s way too cute peeking out from behind her upside-down manga. I wonder, if I told her everything, would she believe me?

June 11

I was right, I should have been more worried. Niijima-senpai caught us, but she wants us to prove our Justice rather than turn us in. I think she believes we’re doing the right thing, or at least wants to believe. I hope we can prove ourselves to her. I’d much rather have her as a friend than an enemy.

June 20

Makoto is something else! She’s strong, brilliant (a bit impulsive though), and I feel like a bit of a perv saying it but she looked incredible on her bike! I’m so glad she’s on our side, and I really want to get to know her better. I might be getting ahead of myself, but I feel something special with her.

I don’t want to think what will happen if we fail this one, but I won’t let that happen. We’re going in tomorrow and getting this done. We wanted something to do. Well this is it, and we’re going all out on it. The crew’s all fired up, and I’ll gather everyone as soon as school’s out tomorrow.

June 24

Went to the arcade with Makoto. She said she wanted help broadening her horizons and understanding her peers. Is this a date? It definitely felt like a date. She was unbelievably cute getting super into Gun About, and the way she smiled when we left kind of made my heart melt.

She said she wanted to do something like this again soon, and I can’t wait! Spending time with her just feels so… good, and it was great seeing her relaxing a bit for once. I think I’m falling hard for her, and I don’t want to push things too fast but I really, really hope she feels the same way. 

Makoto gave the worn little book an affectionate smile. “I did, Akira, and I still do.”

She pulled out her phone.

Makoto: Good night, Akira. I love you. 21 days.

Akira: 20 days, 23 hours, and 47 minutes. Good night, Makoto. I love you, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's it! I had a wonderful time writing this, and I hope you enjoyed reading it. Special thanks to Vie_Boheme, CaptCool, and everyone who left a comment.

**Author's Note:**

> For reference, Makoto's bike does in fact look seriously badass:  
> https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/FJR1300AS.jpg


End file.
